On 31 January 2020, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published its Opinion on the negotiating mandate to conclude an international agreement on the exchange of personal data between Europol and New Zealand. The Agreement shall provide the legal basis for the transfer of personal data between Europol and the New Zealand authorities that are responsible for fighting serious crime and terrorism. Their actions and mutual cooperation in preventing these crimes will be supported and strengthened.

In its opinion, the EDPS recommends, for instance, that the Agreement should explicitly lay down a list of criminal offences regulating which personal data can and cannot be exchanged. It should also include clear and detailed rules regarding the information that should be provided to the data subjects. Furthermore, it should specifically provide for periodic review of the need for storage of transferred personal data. The European Commission adopted a Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations for this agreement on 30 October 2019 (see also eucrim 3/2019, p. 165).