Biobanking between the EU and Third Countries — Can Data Sharing Be Facilitated via Soft Regulatory Tools?

Abstract

Abstract In biobanking, collaboration and data sharing contribute to building genomic research capacity, and have the potential to further scientific advances that ultimately can result in advances in clinical care. However, in the absence of common applicable legal frameworks that enable collaboration, capacity building is hindered. With the applicability of the General Data Protection Regulation, the obstacles to data sharing which involve export of data from European Union Member States to third countries are expected to grow, rendering the collaboration between the EU and third countries even more challenging. This article examines how, if at all, data sharing in biobank research between the EU and third countries could be facilitated via the use of soft regulatory tools. It argues that although the existing soft tools might not in itself be suitable for meeting all the GDPR requirements, they could be the basis on which to raise the area-specific data protection bar globally.