Despite the result of the June 23 referendum, for the UK leave the European Union (EU), businesses must not view this as an excuse to avoid compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), it is claimed. Instead they must keep the terms as a top priority, to remain competitive in the market, warns The Bunker, an outsourced infrastructure and data storage company.
It is yet to be confirmed when the UK will begin the two year procedure for departure from the EU. As a result, the UK could still be directly subject to the terms of the GDPR when they come into effect in May 2018. What’s more, once the UK ceases to be a member state of the EU the terms of the GDPR, or equivalent standards, will still be applicable to businesses within the UK if they wish to trade with the single market on equal terms.
Phil Bindley, CTO at The Bunker, says: “Businesses are not off the hook and should continue to plan for compliance, as they will either have to adhere to these terms or measures that are modelled closely upon those of the GDPR. With regards to trade, the GDPR will still apply to companies that offer services and goods within the EU. Consequently, for businesses to remain competitive and if the UK is going to continue trading with our European neighbours, companies need to make compliance a top priority. Sustained trade as well as the exchange of personal data depends on this compliance with the GDPR, or UK data protection standards that are equivalent in their scope.
“Although the full impact of Brexit remains to be seen, the GDPR is not another abstract piece of legislation but was drafted directly in response to the threats that businesses and individuals face today. With the digital economy continuing to grow, having clear safeguards in place should remain at the forefront and the GDPR should continue to be seen as a very welcome regulation.
“Businesses must not get complacent; it’s imperative that they continue to use this grace period to reassess their hosting arrangements and partner’s capabilities to ensure they are able to meet the requirements head on. The GDPR remains a defining piece of legislation in the way businesses approach data protection. It’s time for organisations to take full control of their data and they must remain diligent, despite questions concerning data protection law. However, I am confident that through the application of the knowledge, expertise, processes and culture that we have created here over the past 12 years, The Bunker can genuinely help customers comply with these regulations.”
