Category: Advocacy

Jun 27 2016

Navigating the EU-US Privacy Shield and the General Data Protection Regulation – Latest on What US Associations Need to Know

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The past months have seen two key developments in the field of data privacy in Europe which are set to a have a significant impact on Associations operating in both the US and Europe that handle personal data; the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework and the General Data Protection Regulation.

 

 

The EU-US Privacy Shield Framework, while still at a drafting stage compared to the now defunct Safe Harbour Framework, and the new EU General Data Protection Regulation, a 200-page piece of legislation that will come into effect in 2018, introduce stronger obligations and Increased fines for breaches.

The recent vote in Britain to leave the EU does not diminish the importance of these issues as there will be a mandatory two year minimum period in which the UK remains a member of the EU while an exit is negotiated. During this time all existing legislation (including GDPR) will continue as before.

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MCI Brussels and Globalaw, a leading global legal network of 110 firms with over 4,500 lawyers in over 165 cities, will host a LIVE webinar on Tuesday, 12 July at 1000 am EDT.   

Essential information on the key changes expected in privacy rules, the repercussions of the GDPR, the costs of non-compliance and how Associations operating in both the US and Europe can best adapt in this transitional phase will be discussed by a panel of legal experts from the US and EU.

Featured Speakers

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Karin McGinnis, Attorney, Member, Moore & Van Allen, PLLC,  USA

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Susanne Klein LL.M., Rechtsanwältin (Lawyer), GÖHMANN Rechtsanwälte, Germany

 

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Dr. Benno Barnitzke, Rechtsanwalt (Lawyer), GÖHMANN Rechtsanwälte, Germany

 Key Topics to be addressed:

  1. Setting the scene: the Privacy Shield and the GDPR

  2. US and European Perspectives on the Schrems Case   (The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued the final ruling in Schrems v. Data Protection Commissioner (Case C-362/14) on October 6, 2015. The Court invalidated the Safe Harbor arrangement, which governs data transfers between the EU and the US.)

  3. Transatlantic Data Transfers: Challenges and Alternative Tools to Safe Harbour

  4. The General Data Protection Regulation: the Issue of Consent

  5. Looking Ahead: Practical Steps for US Associations

Time will be reserved for questions.

To Register for the July 12 LIVE Webinar

Register now for this important session while seats last from the Globalaw website!   Follow this link to register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

Feb 12 2011

Victory for Egypt’s Professional Class?

These past 2+ weeks I’ve been glued to the excellent evening broadcast coverage on Al Jazeera English of Egypt’s struggle for freedom and democracy.

Apart from how much better the reporting depth and insight versus the news quality among American media outlets, the most enlightening aspect has been just how the anti-government protests were led by Egyptians from the professional classes.   Watch the behind the scene’s report below and you’ll learn that the mass protests had leadership, organization, strategy and tactics that matched wits with the Mubarak regime.

It was a civil engineer and a software executive who were instrumental in organizing street demonstrations and communication outreach via Facebook that turned a small demonstration into a bigger one which only continued to grow.  And it was doctors, lawyers, and labor unions who added their weight to bring even more pressure to the regime.

Egypt’s peaceful revolution was rooted in a desire among many sections of civil society for freedom and the chance to enjoy what we take for granted in advanced economies.  It was certainly not an Islamic revolution, but a revolution of Muslims and Christians seeking to form a more equal society.  In many ways Egypt embodies many of the key global trends that have set the table for trade and professional associations to show the emerging market countries just how important we have been to the advancements in science, technology, medicine, industry, the arts, etc.

So it make you wonder.

  • Why is the “power of associations” little known beyond our home market here is the USA?
  • How much more successful could we be if government and private sector leaders in emerging markets knew more about how associations serve as gatekeepers to the standards, codes and generally accepted practices that make up the DNA of global business and social development in advanced economies?
  • Why is the association community silent in conveying a compelling vision of associations as forums to help build strong industries and professional classes that can supply 21st century jobs from 21st century businesses interconnected by global association communities building, sharing, and learning new ways to grow and strengthen social and economic development?

As the global trends analysis we presented back in December on this blog outlines, the massive youth population, need for good jobs and strong local economies, the ubiquity of technology, and the need for sustainable infrastructure… all offer opportunities for US associations to demonstrate their value.  Value that not only can grow your membership ranks and product sales that help train tomorrow’s professional classes, but also bring social and political stability through the practice of constructive self-government which is the bedrock of pluralistic societies.  US associations are such animals.

Now is the time to be active and engaged in this new world that is rapidly changing before our eyes.  Associations can play a historic part as they have in the US since the days of De Tocqueville or not…

Dec 22 2010

European Association Execs View the Need to Redefine Value in Changing World

The global financial crisis and the ongoing economic uncertainty across Europe have brought into sharper relief the vital importance of sustainability for all businesses and the associations that support them. At stake is not just the long-term financial viability of a company or industry but, in its widest context, the very survival of the planet itself whose natural resources are under threat from a rapidly growing worldwide population with an ever greater appetite to consume and seek an enhanced standard of living.

How are European trade and professional associations facing up to these challenges and helping to shape a more sustainable future for themselves and their communities?

MCI Group invited 450 Brussels-based international association executives to participate in a survey to identify the leading challenges and opportunities looking ahead to 2011.   Together with follow up interviews from some of the largest European-based associations, MCI developed a white paper designed to address some of the key outcomes from the study.  Some of the associations who participated included:  the ACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association; Cefic – European Chemical Industry Council; EACA – European Association of Communications Agencies; ETNO – European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association; EUFORES – European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources; EU-OEA – European Ocean Energy Association; Eurometaux – European Association of Metals; EuropaBio – European Association for Bioindustries; Municipal Waste Europe; Orgalime – European Engineering Industries Association; PANGEA – Partners for Euro-African Green Energy; and UNESDA – Union of European Beverages Associations.

The White Paper covers input from associations representing professions and industry sectors from automotive and chemicals to communications, food and beverages, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, engineering, raw materials, renewable and traditional energies, telecoms and waste management.  It provides a snapshot of the key issues that associations are having to address and MCI’s recommendations, based on these findings and 20 years of experience of working with diverse associations  around the world.

A key theme is the need to ensure an association’s future relevance in Europe and the world through:

  1. Setting a sustainable framework (in ones business model and in how one contributes to business sustainability strategies that ensures your industry or profession’s value)
  2. Position your association as a thought leader (especially on emerging issues like sustainability)
  3. Demonstrate value and relevance to members in locally relevant ways
  4. Develop new initiatives and revenue streams
  5. Constantly innovate
  6. Extend your outreach through partnerships and alliances
  7. Communicate constantly to all key stakeholders
  8. Invest in future leaders (who can offer the right energy to meet above challenges)

To obtain a copy of this white paper, please contact Peter Turner at +1.571.275.1516 or email him at [email protected]

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