Schrems discusses EU-US data transfers and digital sovereignty

During a fireside chat at the IAPP Global Summit 2026 in Washington, DC, last week, NOYB Honorary Chairman Max Schrems discussed the future of digital sovereignty and trans-Atlantic data flows. 

Schrems is confident that the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) will dismiss the legal action brought by French member of parliament Philippe Latombe against the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF) on procedural grounds, due to a lack of standing.

However, despite this prediction, Schrems continues to have concerns about the independence and enforcement of European privacy law in the US. He questioned the stability of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), particularly in light of potential US Supreme Court rulings that could impact their autonomy. Schrems also remains sceptical about whether the substantive and procedural protections outlined in the DPF are functioning effectively.

On the issue of digital sovereignty, Schrems calls for a future where European data is neither stored in the US nor accessible to its authorities. While acknowledging that European businesses might face disadvantages if cut off from US data centres and large language models, he argued that the priority must be data protection and the development of domestic European infrastructure and AI capabilities.

Training Announcement: Freevacy offers a range of independent data protection qualifications from IAPP and BCS. Our certified courses are available at foundation and practitioner levels and cover multiple legal jurisdictions, data protection operations management, and the implementation of complex privacy solutions in technical environments. Find out more.