U.S. and Canada Announce Joint Privacy Principles

The United States and Canada have announced the release of the Beyond the Border: Statement of Privacy Principles, a joint agreement aimed at protecting privacy while facilitating information sharing between the two nations.

According to a statement, Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano hailed the release of the principles as a major milestone in the implementation of the Beyond the Border Action Plan. The plan, announced in 2011, calls for the sharing of information between the two countries to enhance national security while reducing the administrative burden on businesses.

“These privacy principles reflect the shared commitment of the United States and Canada to implement our Beyond the Border Action Plan,” said Attorney General Holder. “Timely and efficient information sharing between the United States and Canada is critical to the national security of both nations. These principles reflect our two nations’ continued shared commitment to protecting our collective security without sacrificing the fundamental rights and civil liberties that both our countries value.”

Secretary Napolitano echoed Holder’s sentiments, stating that the release of the principles represents the United States’ and Canada’s commitment to sharing information while protecting fundamental privacy principles.

The Statement of Privacy Principles is a result of collaborative efforts between privacy officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, Public Safety Canada, and Justice Canada. The principles are based on commonly understood privacy protections and fair information practices and are consistent with the laws of each country.

The United States and Canada will collaborate regularly on the application of the Statement of Privacy Principles through the Beyond the Border Executive Steering Committee and other avenues.

The Beyond the Border Action Plan, announced in 2011, consists of 32 separate initiatives aimed at enhancing programs that help trusted businesses and travelers move efficiently across the border, introducing new measures to facilitate movement and trade, and investing in improvements to shared border infrastructure and technology.

For more information, please visit www.dhs.gov or www.justice.gov.

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