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New Zealand: Privacy Amendment Act, including cross-border data transfer regulation, enters into force

Policy overview

Description

Privacy Amendment Act, including cross-border data transfer regulation, enters into force

On 23 September 2025, the Privacy Amendment Act's provisions on cross-border data transfer regulation entered into force. The Act provides that the Privacy Commissioner may assess the privacy protections in a third country to ensure that that country provides comparable safeguards for the purposes of cross-border data transfers. The Act provides for data transfers on an individual basis and on the basis of membership of a block of countries.

Original source

Scope

Policy Area
Data governance
Policy Instrument
Cross-border data transfer regulation
Regulated Economic Activity
cross-cutting
Implementation Level
national
Government Branch
legislature
Government Body
parliament

Complete timeline of this policy change

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2023-09-05
under deliberation

On 5 September 2023, the New Zealand Parliament introduced the Privacy Amendment Bill, which aims t…

2024-05-06
in consultation

On 6 May 2024, the Parliament of New Zealand opened a consultation on the Privacy Amendment Bill (N…

2024-06-14
processing consultation

On 14 June 2024, the Parliament of New Zealand closes its consultation on the Privacy Amendment Bil…

2025-09-18
adopted

On 18 September 2025, the Parliament of New Zealand adopted the Privacy Amendment Bill (No. 292-1),…

2025-09-22
adopted

On 22 September 2025, the Governor General of New Zealand signed the Privacy Amendment Bill into la…

2025-09-23
in force

On 23 September 2025, the Privacy Amendment Act's provisions on cross-border data transfer regulati…