Relations between Europe and Argentina "are not as good for a long time," said the EU.

The European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourová, said Thursday in Buenos Aires that the relations between the European Union (EU) and Argentina " have not been so good for a long time "and stressed the" very important role "that the country has played to reach the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the EU.

The official said the pact was aimed at "sending a strong message to all that Argentina and Europe share the same values ​​and are ready to invest and create jobs".

"We want to live in an open world, based on rules that we negotiate and agree together, and not on rules elaborated by the strongest or the strongest," said Jourová, noting that these pacts "are very clear. against protectionism ".

At a press conference in Puerto Madero, Mr. Jourová acknowledged that the recently signed agreement between the EU and Mercosur "includes a political chapter that is not yet complete, but who is about to end up ".

"I am convinced that the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur will be a very good tool to improve the situation here in Argentina," said the Czech-born political leader at the European Union. 39, a brief visit to the country to meet with the government. on issues related to the protection of personal data.

The head of the European Commission pointed out that Argentina was part of a group of eleven countries with which there is a series of "similar regulatory standards" for the protection of privacy. He said that after the 2018 approval of the General Regulation on Personal Data (RGDP) in the EU, a window was opened until May 2020 to revise the agreements in this regard and update the standards.

"In this regard, we discussed with the Chief of Staff, Marcos) Peña and other authorities, the new law (protection of personal data) to be processed in Argentina," he said. he said, adding that the government "seeks to modernize its law."

He also expressed his support for a G20 initiative that promotes a concept called "free movement of data with confidence" between countries, "with a high level of security and protection".

"We want every citizen to feel and exercise their new rights in areas such as privacy or the right to be forgotten, or to transfer their personal data to someone else." , that there is informed consent, "he added.

In addition, "we must take into account the fact that these personal data, which constitute the digital identity, are used as money," he recalled and said is another strong reason why people need to keep them under control. "