FTC Signs on to Multilateral Arrangement to Bolster Cooperation on Privacy and Data Security Enforcement

The Federal Trade Commission has agreed to participate in an international multilateral arrangement that will enable the agency to cooperate, provide assistance with investigations and share information with other privacy authorities around the world that participate in the program.

The FTC’s participation in the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (Global CAPE) ensures the agency can keep pace with the increasingly global nature of commerce. The FTC’s participation in the nonbinding Global CAPE will help the agency to cooperate with other members of the organization on privacy and data security related law enforcement issues without having to negotiate a separate memorandum of understanding with each participant.

Global CAPE was created to supplement the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Cross-border Privacy Rules (APEC CBPR), which also facilitates cooperation and assistance in privacy and data security investigations among APEC’s Asian Pacific countries. The new arrangement will allow for participation by countries outside the Asia Pacific area.

The Commission voted 3-0 to authorize staff to participate in the Global CAPE.