Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 16 July 2020

Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Limited and Maximillian Schrems

Request for a preliminary ruling from the High Court (Ireland)

Reference for a preliminary ruling — Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data — Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union — Articles 7, 8 and 47 — Regulation (EU) 2016/679 — Article 2(2) — Scope — Transfers of personal data to third countries for commercial purposes — Article 45 — Commission adequacy decision — Article 46 — Transfers subject to appropriate safeguards — Article 58 — Powers of the supervisory authorities — Processing of the data transferred by the public authorities of a third country for national security purposes — Assessment of the adequacy of the level of protection in the third country — Decision 2010/87/EU — Protective standard clauses on the transfer of personal data to third countries — Suitable safeguards provided by the data controller — Validity — Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1250 — Adequacy of the protection provided by the EU-US Privacy Shield — Validity — Complaint by a natural person whose data was transferred from the European Union to the United States

Case C-311/18


Top of the page Documents in the Case
Document Date Name of the parties Subject-matter Curia EUR-Lex Autres Liens
Judgment (OJ)
21/08/2020 Facebook Ireland and Schrems
Approximation of laws
  • Approximation of laws
  • Data protection
  • Fundamental rights
  • - Charter of Fundamental Rights
  • - European Convention on Human Rights
EUR-Lex text EUR-Lex bilingual text
Judgment
ECLI:EU:C:2020:559		 16/07/2020 Facebook Ireland and Schrems
Approximation of laws
  • Approximation of laws
  • Data protection
  • Fundamental rights
  • - Charter of Fundamental Rights
  • - European Convention on Human Rights
EUR-Lex text EUR-Lex bilingual text
Abstract
ECLI:EU:C:2020:559		 16/07/2020 Facebook Ireland and Schrems
Approximation of laws
  • Approximation of laws
  • Data protection
  • Fundamental rights
  • - Charter of Fundamental Rights
  • - European Convention on Human Rights
EUR-Lex text EUR-Lex bilingual text
Application (OJ)
29/06/2018 Facebook Ireland and Schrems
Approximation of laws
  • Approximation of laws
  • Data protection
  • Fundamental rights
  • - Charter of Fundamental Rights
  • - European Convention on Human Rights
EUR-Lex text EUR-Lex bilingual text
Opinion
ECLI:EU:C:2019:1145		 19/12/2019 Facebook Ireland and Schrems
Approximation of laws
  • Approximation of laws
  • Data protection
  • Fundamental rights
  • - Charter of Fundamental Rights
  • - European Convention on Human Rights
EUR-Lex text EUR-Lex bilingual text
Top of the page Legal analysis of the decision or of the case

Reports of Cases

published in the electronic Reports of Cases (Court Reports - general)

Subject-matter

Information not available

Systematic classification scheme

1.
-
4 Internal policy of the European Union
  4.11 Approximation of laws
    4.11.01 Protection of personal data
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.07 Interpretation of EU law
-
4 Internal policy of the European Union
  4.11 Approximation of laws
    4.11.01 Protection of personal data
-
4 Internal policy of the European Union
  4.11 Approximation of laws
    4.11.01 Protection of personal data
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.07 Respect for private and family life
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.08 Protection of personal data
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.47 Right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial
-
4 Internal policy of the European Union
  4.11 Approximation of laws
    4.11.01 Protection of personal data
-
4 Internal policy of the European Union
  4.11 Approximation of laws
    4.11.01 Protection of personal data
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.02 Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
      1.04.02.02 Scope of the protection of rights and principles
        1.04.02.02.01 Limitation on the exercise of rights and freedoms (Article 52(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights)
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.07 Respect for private and family life
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.08 Protection of personal data
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.07 Respect for private and family life
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.08 Protection of personal data
-
1 The legal order of the European Union
  1.04 Fundamental rights
    1.04.03 The fundamental rights
      1.04.03.47 Right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial
-
4 Internal policy of the European Union
  4.11 Approximation of laws
    4.11.01 Protection of personal data
-
3 Legal proceedings
  3.04 Reference for a preliminary ruling
    3.04.03 Effects of a preliminary ruling
      3.04.03.02 Rulings determining validity


Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

Operative part

Opinion


Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

  • 09/05/2018

Date of the Opinion

  • 19/12/2019

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

16/07/2020


References

Publication in the Official Journal

Information not available

Name of the parties

Facebook Ireland and Schrems

Notes on Academic Writings

  1. Simon, Denys: Coup de tonnerre dans le monde du numérique. La Cour de justice prononce l'invalidité du « bouclier de protection de la vie privée » à propos des transferts de données personnelles vers les États-Unis, Europe 2020, n° 8-9 Août, étude 8, p. 5-10 (FR)
  2. Flett, Emma ; Wilson, Jenny ; Clover, Jacqueline: Schrems strikes again: EU-US privacy shield suffers same fate as its predecessor, Computer and Telecommunications Law Review 2020 p. 161-163 (EN)
  3. Sellars, Clare: Schrems II and Standard Contractual Clauses – the Advocate-General’s Opinion, Computer Law Review International 2020 p. 29-30 (EN)
  4. D'Ath, Florence: Arrêt « Schrems II » : sur la légalité des transferts de données personnelles fondés sur une décision d’adéquation ou moyennant des garanties appropriées, Journal de droit européen 2020 nº 10 p. 442-445 (FR)
  5. Thiele, Clemens: Ist der Datentransfer in die USA am Ende? - Zur Unzulässigerklärung des EU Privacy Shield - Analyse der Entscheidung EuGH 16. 7. 2020, C-311/18 mit Praxistipps, JusIT : IT-Recht, Rechtsinformation, Datenschutz 2020 p. 196-198 (DE)
  6. Tracol, Xavier: "Schrems II" : the return of the privacy shield, Computer law & security review 2020, p. 1-11 (EN)
  7. Rotenberg, Marc: Schrems II, from Snowden to China: toward a new alignment on transatlantic data protection, European Law Journal : review of European law in context 2020 p.141-152 (EN)
  8. Dworschak, Marco: Auswirkungen von Schrems II auf den Steuerdatentransfer, Liechtensteinische Juristen-Zeitung 2020 Abh. p. 295-309 (DE)
  9. Lobato Cervantes, Virgílio Emanuel: The Schrems II judgment of the Court of Justice invalidates the EU-U.S. privacy shield and requires "case by case" assessment on the application of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) : Case C-311/18 Data Protection Commissioner v. Facebook Ireland Limited and Maximillian Schrems, European Data Protection Law Review 2020 Vol. 6 nº 4 p. 602-606 (EN)
  10. Nino, Michele: La sentenza Schrems Il della Corte di giustizia UE: trasmissione dei dati personali dall'Unione europea agli Stati terzi e tutela dei diritti dell'uomo, Diritti umani e diritto internazionale 2020, n° 3, p. 733-759 (IT)
  11. Ruiz Tarrías, Susana: La Sentencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea en el asunto "Schrems II" o cómo los datos personales pueden terminar viajando sin equipaje, Revista española de Derecho Europeo 2020, nº 76, p. 111-162 (ES)
  12. Baartmans, Chloë ; Cox, Manuela: De nasleep van Schrems II houdt niet over : de gevolgen van de uitspraak van het HvJ EU in Schrems II en de daaropvolgende (concept) aanbevelingen van de EDPD onder de loep genomen, Mediaforum: Tijdschrift voor Media- en Communicatierecht 2021 nº 1 p. 2-7 (NL)
  13. Jacques, Florian: « Uncle Sam is watching you » Retour sur les enseignements de l’arrêt Schrems II de la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne, Journal des tribunaux 2021 p. 246-249 (FR)
  14. Sandfuchs, Barbara: The Future of Data Transfers to Third Countries in Light of the CJEU’s Judgment C-311/18 – Schrems II, Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht INT 2021 p. 245-249 (EN)
  15. Vander, Sascha: Datenschutzkonforme Datenexporte in Drittländer : Empfehlungen der Aufsichtsbehörden und Entwurf neuer Standardvertragsklauseln : C-311/18, Der Betrieb 2021 p. 214-218 (DE)
  16. Tracol, Xavier: Chapter V of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 on transfers of personal data by Union institutions and bodies to third states and international organisations, ERA-Forum : scripta iuris europaei 2021 p.00 (EN)
  17. Meltzer, Joshua P.: After Schrems II: The Need for a US-EU Agreement Balancing Privacy and National Security Goals, Global Privacy Law Review 2021, p. 83-89 (EN)
  18. Sobrino García, Itziar: Las decisiones de adecuación en las transferencias internacionales de datos. El caso del flujo de datos entre la Unión Europea y Estados Unidos, Revista de Derecho Comunitario Europeo 2021 nº 68 p. 227-256 (ES)
  19. Snoy, Ophélie: Transfert de données à caractère personnel de l'Europe vers un pays tiers : état des lieux à la suite de la décision « Schrems 2 », Revue de droit commercial belge 2021 n°5 p. 581-596 (FR, NL)
  20. Nebbia, Paolisa: The Schrems judgments : a silent revolution for Member States’ procedural autonomy? : C-362/14 and C-311/18, ERA-Forum : scripta iuris europaei 2021 p. 327-336 (EN)
  21. Kaszián, Ábel: Az Európai Unió Bíróságának Schrems II. ügyben hozott döntése : az EU-USA adatvédelmi pajzs érvénytelenítéséről : C-311/18. sz. Data Protection Commissioner kontra Facebook Ireland Ltd., Maximillian Schrems, Jogesetek Magyarázata 2021 nº 2-3 p. 91-107 (HU)
  22. Cellerino, Chiara: Trasferimenti internazionali di dati personali e clausole contrattuali tipo dopo Schrems II : C-311/18, Data Protection Commissioner c. Facebook Ireland e Schrems (Schrems II), Il diritto dell'Unione Europea 2021 p. 351-320 (IT)
  23. Deroudille, Alexis: L'arrêt Schrems II, vers une résolution de l'équation transatlantique ?, Revue de l'Union européenne 2021 n° 3 p. 144-162 (FR)
  24. Tambou, Olivia: L’invalidation du Privacy Shield : peut-on sortir des turbulences dans les flux transatlantiques des données à caractère personnel ?, Revue trimestrielle des droits de l'homme 2021 n° 125 p. 153-166 (FR)
  25. Castets-Renard, Céline: XXII. Données personnelles - Cour de justice, 16 juillet 2020, Data Protection Commissioner c/ Facebook Ireland Ltd, Maximillian Schrems, aff. C-311/18, ECLI:EU:C:2020:559, Jurisprudence de la CJUE 2020. Décisions et commentaires (Ed. Bruylant - Bruxelles) 2021, p. 1080-1090 (FR)
  26. Bertrand, Brunessen: Les enjeux de la surveillance numérique, Revue trimestrielle de droit européen 2021, n° 1, p. 175-180 (FR)
  27. Tiberi, Giulia: Il caso Schrems II: sovranità digitale europea o colonialismo giudiziario ?, Quaderni costituzionali 2021, n° 1, p. 231-234 (IT)
  28. Pailler, Ludovic: RGPD - Règlement général sur la protection des données – Transfert des données vers État tiers – Principe général – Décision d'adéquation (invalidation) – Clauses types de protection des données (validation) – Dérogations particulières., Journal du droit international 2021, n° 2 avril, p. 653-668 (FR)
  29. Hirasawa, Fumiko: Approaches to Realizing Legal Interoperability Between the Data Privacy Regimes of the European Union and the United States, The Columbia Journal of European Law 2022, Vol. 28, no. 2, p. 283-306 (EN)
  30. Savin, Andrej: EU-US Data Privacy Framework – The New Framework for Transatlantic Data, Journal of European Consumer and Market Law 2023, n° 4, p. 159-164 (EN)
  31. Morschbach, Francesca: Third Country PNR Mechanisms After the CJEU’s Schrems II Judgment, Air and Space Law 2023, Volume 48, Issue 1, p. 91-112 (EN)



Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

High Court (Irlande) - Ireland

Subject-matter

  • Approximation of laws
  • Data protection
  • Fundamental rights
  • - Charter of Fundamental Rights
  • - European Convention on Human Rights

Provisions of national law referred to

Information not available

Provisions of international law referred to

Convention européenne de sauvegarde des Droits de l'Homme et des Libertés fondamentales (04/11/1950), article 8

Procedure and result

  • Reference for a preliminary ruling

Formation of the Court

grande chambre (Cour)

Judge-Rapporteur

von Danwitz

Advocate General

Saugmandsgaard Øe

Language(s) of the Case

  • English

Language(s) of the Opinion

  • French