EU approves Britain's data protection

The European Union has declared the United Kingdom's data protection standards "adequate", ensuring digital information can continue to flow between the bloc and the nation.

But Brussels has warned that the free-flow could be stopped in future, if the UK diverges significantly from the standards set out in its General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR.

The Telegraph newspaper claimed the bloc was even ready to tear up the post-Brexit trade deal it negotiated with London, if necessary, in order to protect the privacy of EU citizens.

Vera Jourova, the European Commission's vice-president for values and transparency, told reporters: "We have significant safeguards and if anything changes on the UK side, we will intervene."

Didier Reynders, the EU's commissioner for justice, added: "The commission will be closely monitoring how the UK system evolves in the future."

The Telegraph said the European Commission, which is the executive branch of the EU, fears the UK wants to eventually ditch the EU's GDPR, which oversees the extent to which entities can gather information from individuals, and how that information can be used.

The UK incorporated the GDPR into its national laws as it left the bloc but is understood to be considering drawing up its own data protection standards.

Some lawmakers in the UK's ruling Conservative Party have complained that the GDPR rules shackle enterprise.

And some have expressed concern about a ruling last month by the European Court of Human Rights that mass surveillance carried out by the UK's Government Communications Headquarters, or GCHQ, violates people's right to privacy as detailed in the GDPR.

Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative Party lawmaker, told The Telegraph: "The EU yet again threatens the UK.The fact is that GDPR doesn't work in Europe. It doesn't work here."

He said the legislation is inflexible and out of step with the rest of the world, which makes the EU "almost impossible to do business with".

But The Guardian newspaper said the EU's declaration that the UK's data protection standards are "adequate" will be great news for the nation's businesses, and should last for four years.

John Foster, director of policy at the Confederation of British Industry, told The Guardian: "The free flow of data is the bedrock of modern economy and essential for firms across all sectors-from automotive to logistics-playing an important role in everyday trade of goods and services."

The EU also declared the UK complaint with its Law Enforcement Directive, which means security information can also be shared with London.

The Evening Standard newspaper quoted Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden as saying: "This will be welcome news to businesses, support continued cooperation between the UK and the EU, and help law enforcement authorities keep people safe."