Monaco publishes official list of data-safe countries
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Monaco has published a list of countries deemed to offer adequate personal data protection, giving businesses clearer rules for international data transfers.
A list setting out which countries and territories Monaco considers to provide adequate protection for personal data was published in the Journal de Monaco on Friday, 16 October. The measure gives companies and organisations operating in the Principality a clear reference point when transferring information to jurisdictions outside Monaco, replacing a more case-by-case approach to assessing international data flows.
The list forms part of the updated data protection framework introduced under legislation adopted in December 2024, which brought Monaco's rules closer in line with international standards, including those applied within the European Union. For businesses based in Monaco, particularly those in banking, insurance and professional services who routinely handle client data across borders, the new list should simplify compliance by removing some of the uncertainty around which transfers require additional safeguards.
The move is likely to be welcomed by firms with cross-border operations, since it reduces the administrative burden of assessing each data transfer individually. Companies will still need to verify that any country they deal with appears on the approved list, or put additional contractual protections in place if it does not.