# APEC Privacy Framework

In 

# Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Initialisms

Short Form Full Form
APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
CBPR Cross-Border Privacy Rules
CPEA Cross-Border Privacy Enforcement Arrangement
OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

# Overview

The APEC Privacy Framework promotes a flexible approach to information privacy protection across APEC member economies, while avoiding the creation of unnecessary barriers to information flows.

APEC member economies realize the enormous potential of the digital economy to continue to expand business opportunities, reduce costs, increase efficiency, improve the quality of life, and facilitate the greater participation of small business in global commerce. A framework to protect privacy within and beyond economies and to enable regional transfers of personal information benefits consumers, businesses, and governments. Ministers have endorsed the APEC Privacy Framework, recognizing the importance of the development of effective privacy protections that avoid barriers to information flows and ensure continued trade and economic growth in the APEC region.

Consumer trust and confidence in the privacy and security of online transactions, information networks and management of personal information is critical in enabling member economies to reap the benefits of electronic commerce and participate in today's information-driven economy. APEC economies realize that a key part of efforts to improve consumer confidence and ensure the growth of electronic commerce and innovation must be cooperation to promote both effective information privacy protection and the free flow of information in the Asia Pacific region, while respecting domestic laws and regulations, applicable international frameworks for information privacy protection, and strengthening information security in the Asia Pacific region.

# Contents

  • Part I: Preamble
  • Part II: Scope
  • Part III: Information Privacy Principles
  • Part IV: Implementation

The Framework, which aims at promoting electronic commerce throughout the Asia-Pacific region, is consistent with the core values of the OECD Guidelines Governing the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data("Privacy Guidelines")), and reaffirms the value of privacy to individuals and to the information society.

The Framework was developed and updated in recognition of the importance of:

  • Implementing appropriate privacy protections for personal information, particularly from the harmful consequences of intrusions and the misuse of personal information;
  • The free flow of information to trade, and to economic and social growth in both developed and developing market economies;
  • Enabling global companies that collect, access, use or process data in APEC member economies to develop and implement uniform approaches within their organizations for global access to and use of personal information;
  • Empowering Privacy Enforcement Authorities to fulfill their mandate to protect individual privacy;
  • Advancing international and regional mechanisms, including the APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) system, to promote and enforce privacy and to maintain the continuity of information flows among APEC economies and with their trading partners;
  • Encouraging organizations to be accountable for all personal information under their control; and
  • Promoting interoperability between the Framework, and its implementing measures such as the CPEA and CBPR system, and privacy arrangements in other regions.

The purpose of Part II of the APEC Privacy Framework is to make clear the extent of coverage of the Principles.

The Information Privacy Principles should be viewed and interpreted as a whole rather than looking at particular principles in isolation as there is a close interrelationship.

  1. Preventing Harm
  2. Notice
  3. Collection Limitations
  4. Uses of Personal Information
  5. Choice
  6. Integrity of Personal Information
  7. Security Safeguards
  8. Access and Correction
  9. Accountability

Part IV provides guidance to member economies on implementing the APEC Privacy Framework.

# Noteworthy

  • The APEC Privacy Framework is made up of four parts.
  • The APEC Privacy Framework contains nine Information Privacy Principles.

# Sources

apec privacy