Swiss Privacy Downgrade of U.S. Brings Company Compliance Hurdle

Switzerland-U.S. data transfers may be more complicated for companies after a Swiss commissioner downgraded the U.S. on a list of jurisdictions that protect privacy.

Swiss citizens whose data is transferred to the U.S. “do not have sufficient enforceable legal rights” should U.S. law enforcement access the information, said the Swiss privacy chief, Adrian Lobsiger, in a statement Tuesday. He made the conclusion after reviewing the existing agreement for transferring data, the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield.

The downgrading of the U.S. from adequate under certain conditions to inadequate in the Swiss list of foreign jurisdictions doesn’t halt data transfers that rely on ...