The EU and South Korea have finalized a mutual adequacy decision, allowing personal data to flow freely between the two regions without additional legal hurdles. This landmark agreement strengthens digital trade, simplifies compliance for businesses, and sets a global standard for data protection and privacy.

On September 3, 2025, the EU’s General Court upheld the validity of the European Commission’s adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, rejecting a legal challenge that questioned the independence of U.S. oversight mechanisms and the legality of bulk data collection practices. The ruling provides continued legal certainty for transatlantic data transfers, though a potential appeal to the Court of Justice of the EU could bring the framework back under review. This article explores the background of the case, the Court’s reasoning, and what it means for businesses relying on the framework.