JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Grand Chamber)
16 July 2020 (*)

(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)
In Case C‑311/18,
REQUEST for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU from the High Court (Ireland), made by
decision of 4 May 2018, received at the Court on 9 May 2018, in the proceedings
Data Protection Commissioner
v
Facebook Ireland Ltd,
Maximillian Schrems,
intervening parties:
The United States of America,
Electronic Privacy Information Centre,
BSA Business Software Alliance Inc.,
Digitaleurope,
THE COURT (Grand Chamber),
composed of K. Lenaerts, President, R. Silva de Lapuerta, Vice-President, A. Arabadjiev, A. Prechal,
M. Vilaras, M. Safjan, S. Rodin, P.G. Xuereb, L.S. Rossi and I. Jarukaitis, Presidents of Chambers,
M. Ilešič, T. von Danwitz (Rapporteur), and D. Šváby, Judges,
Advocate General: H. Saugmandsgaard Øe,
Registrar: C. Strömholm, Administrator,
having regard to the written procedure and further to the hearing on 9 July 2019,
after considering the observations submitted on behalf of:
–

the Data Protection Commissioner, by D. Young, Solicitor, B. Murray and M. Collins, Senior
Counsel, and C. Donnelly, Barrister-at-Law,

Select target paragraph3