The United States and the United Kingdom intend to enforce the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on access to electronic data for the purpose of combating serious crime (“Data”). Access Agreement”), signed in 2019, on October 3, 2022. The entry into force of the Access to Data Agreement begins a new era in cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom, heralding a renewed commitment to combat the threat of serious crime.
The Data Access Agreement is the first of its kind to allow investigators in each country greater access to critical data to fight serious crime in a way that is consistent with our shared values and mission to protect our citizens and protect our national security.
The Data Access Agreement will enable our country’s service providers to access information and evidence related to the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of serious crime more quickly than ever before. This will, for example, help our law enforcement agencies gain more effective access to the evidence they need to bring offenders, including terrorists and child abusers, to justice, thereby preventing further victimisation.
Our treaty maintains the strong oversight and protections that our citizens enjoy and will not undermine or impair the human rights and freedoms that our peoples cherish and share. It protects our citizens by improving both countries’ ability to fight serious crime, while maintaining the democratic and civil liberties standards we stand for and promote around the world.
This agreement is the latest demonstration of the strength of the bond between the US and the UK and our commitment to strong cooperation in the future.
