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- Professionals
- Henriette Tielemans
Described as “a league ahead” in Legal 500, Henriette (Jetty) Tielemans advises global companies on data protection and cybersecurity.
Ms. Tielemans focuses on international data transfers, binding corporate rules, big data, cloud computing, GDPR, e-discovery, consumer privacy, behavioural advertising, and mobile privacy issues.
Ms. Tielemans served on the board of directors of the International Association of Privacy Professionals and is the recipient of its 2018 Vanguard Award for leadership in the field of privacy. She currently serves on the editorial board of the Global Data Review (GDT).
- Obtained approval of binding corporate rules for United Technologies and several other U.S.-based multinationals, including for processor rules and client-tailored transition measures.
- Assisting an Asia-based multinational with complex global privacy compliance issues.
- Assisted a U.S.-based multinational with allegations of privacy violations relating to screening for international trade sanctions.
- Representing Facebook before the Brussels courts in on-going privacy litigation.
- Detailed country by country analysis of subject access requests relating to performing evaluations.
- Obtained authorization from the Dutch Supervisory Authority to deviate from standard contract clauses for international data transfers.
- Assisting with GDPR audits.
Pro Bono
- Handicap International Belgium, Brussels based 1997 Nobel Peace Prize Winner: various professional advice.
- The Arch, an international living community for mentally handicapped: occasional legal advice.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Harvard Club of Belgium
- European Harvard Law School Association
Previous Experience
- The Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, Assistant Professor (1976-1977 and 1979-1980)
- Trainee in international law firm in Hamburg, Germany (1980)
- The Universite Nationale du Rwanda, Professor of Comparative Law (1980)
September 2, 2020
BRUSSELS–Covington has named Dan Cooper to lead its European data protection practice as co-chair of the firm’s global Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice, and he has relocated to Brussels to be closer to the institutions and courts that govern the European data privacy landscape. The firm has more than 100 lawyers focused on data privacy and cybersecurity ...
February 11, 2019, Covington Alert
On February 1, 2019, China’s National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee (“TC260”) released a set of amendments to GB/T 35273-2017 Information Technology – Personal Information Security Specification (“the Standard”) for public comment. The comment period ends on March 3.
January 24, 2019, Inside Privacy
[Update to previous post from August 17, 2018] On January 23, 2019, the European Commission and Japan mutually recognized each other’s data protection laws as providing an adequate level of protection of personal data (see European Commission press release here). As a result, nearly all personal data can now flow freely between the EU and...… Continue Reading
January 22, 2019, Inside Privacy
On January 21, 2019, the French Supervisory Authority for data protection (“CNIL”) issued a fine of €50 million against Google for violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (the decision was published in French here). The CNIL’s decision was triggered by complaints from two non-profit organizations together representing 9974 individuals. The ...
January 22, 2019, Covington Alert
On January 21, 2019, the French Supervisory Authority for data protection (“CNIL”) issued a fine of €50 million against Google for violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (the decision was published in French here).
January 2, 2019, Covington Alert
The past year was a particularly significant one for the development of Chinese privacy law. During 2018, the Chinese government systematically established the country’s regulatory requirements for cybersecurity and data privacy and continued to implement the Cybersecurity Law, which took effect on June 1, 2017.
GDPR Has Companies Big and Small Racing to Comply
May 24, 2018, The Wall Street Journal
Henriette Tielemans is quoted by The Wall Street Journal in an article regarding the upcoming deadline for companies to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation. “Companies are struggling with the concrete deliverables—the record of processing activities, the transfer agreements, the notices, the website—because of the sheer volume,” says Tielemans. ...
What will happen on May 26? We asked Helen Dixon
April 3, 2018, IAPP
Henriette Tielemans participated in a session at the Global Privacy Summit and is quoted in an IAPP article regarding what happens once GDPR goes into effect. "For a lead regulator for the one-stop shop, you need a mean establishment. You lose a lot of the benefits of the GDPR if you're unable to come up with what your main establishment is," Tielemans said.
Irish Regulator To Eye Transparency In GDPR Enforcement
March 29, 2018, Law360
Henriette Tielemans spoke at an IAPP event and is quoted in a Law360 article regarding the Irish privacy authority's focus once GDPR takes effect. According to Tielemans, while “the GDPR has 150 articles, and businesses are worried about all 150 of them,” companies are most concerned about the regulators’ ability to issue massive fines of up to 4 percent of ...
March 27, 2018, IAPP
Henriette Tielemans was the recipient of the 2018 IAPP Privacy Vanguard Award, a recognition reserved for individuals who display “exceptional leadership, knowledge, and creativity in the field of privacy and data protection.”
March 27, 2018
BRUSSELS—Henriette Tielemans, co-chair of Covington’s global Data Privacy and Cybersecurity practice, has today received the IAPP Privacy Vanguard Award, the industry's top honor, for her lifelong services to the data privacy community. The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) is the world’s largest and most comprehensive global information ...
October 18, 2017, Covington Alert
The European Commission published its Report today on the first-annual review of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield (the Report is accompanied with a Staff Working Document, Infographic, and Q&A).
The EU Gets Serious About Cyber: The EU Cybersecurity Act and Other Elements of the "Cyber Package"
September 18, 2017, Covington Alert
Last week, in his annual State of the European Union Address, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker called out cybersecurity as a key priority for the European Union in the year ahead. In terms of ranking those priorities, President Juncker placed tackling cyber threats just one place below the EU leading the fight against climate change, ...
China Seeks Comments on Updated Draft of Cross-Border Data Transfer Security Assessment Standard
August 31, 2017, Covington Alert
On August 31, 2017, China’s National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee (“NISSTC”), a standard-setting committee jointly supervised by the Standardization Administration of China (“SAC”) and the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”), released an updated draft of the Information Security Technology - Guidelines for Data Cross-Border ...
May 24, 2017, Covington Alert
On May 25, 2018, employers located or with staff in the European Union (“EU”) will have to comply with a new data protection law—Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data—commonly referred to as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). This will ...
May 19, 2017, Covington Alert
On May 19, 2017, the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) invited international stakeholders to attend a seminar to discuss an updated version of the Measures on Security Assessment of Cross-border Data Transfer of Personal Information and Important Data (“the Measures”). Given that the Measures have an intended effective date of June 1, 2017, it is likely ...
April 12, 2017, Covington Alert
On April 11, 2017, the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) released a draft of the Measures on Security Assessment of Cross-border Data Transfer of Personal Information and Important Data (“the Draft Measures”) for public comment (official Chinese version available here; Covington’s translation of the Draft Measures is appended at the end of this alert).
April 14, 2016, Inside Privacy
Merck & Co. recently became the first company to achieve simultaneous approval for its cross-border data transfer strategies through binding corporate rules (BCRs) under principles of the European Union and the cross-border privacy rules (CBPR) process under principles of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation region. Subscribers to Law360 learned how Merck ...
February 3, 2016, Inside Privacy
On February 3rd, the Article 29 Working Party, representing Europe’s data protection authorities, published its reaction to the announcement of a new “Privacy Shield” political agreement between the European Commission and the U.S. Government. The Privacy Shield agreement, announced on February 2nd (and further described in our blog post here), is intended to ...
February 1, 2016, The Guardian
Henriette Tielemans is quoted by The Guardian in an article discussing the missed Safe Harbor deadline. According to Tielemans, companies faced “enormous uncertainty” about what European regulators would deem adequate privacy protection.
January 15, 2016, Law360
Henriette Tielemans is quoted in a Law360 article discussing the recent European Court of Human Rights’ decision allowing employers in the EU to monitor their employees’ online activities for business purposes. “This decision is important,” according to Tielemans. “It will bring much needed legal certainty in an area that many companies are struggling with.”
December 21, 2015, Covington Alert
On December 15, the EU institutions finally agreed the text of the new EU data protection law, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), completing a process that began in January 2012. The LIBE committee has published the consolidated version of the GDPR text. The GDPR heralds a new era of data protection. It replaces the existing data protection ...
E.U. Court Declares Data-Transfer Pact With U.S. Invalid
October 13, 2015, Bloomberg BNA
Henriette Tielemans is quoted in this BNA article that explores the idea of finding alternative means for the transfer of data with the elimination of Safe Harbor. Countries that require national data protection authority approval may find even more issues arise when trying to formulate new ways to navigate data transfer laws. Tielemans notes that the process ...
Safe Harbor: The European Court of Justice Ruling and Beyond. What's Next?
October 8, 2015, Webinar
October 6, 2015, Inside Privacy
Today, the Court of Justice of the European Union (the “CJEU”) invalidated the European Commission’s Decision on the EU-U.S. Safe Harbor arrangement (Commission Decision 2000/520 – see here). The Court responded to pre-judicial questions put forward by the Irish High Court in the so-called Schrems case. More specifically, the High Court had enquired, in ...
October 6, 2015, Fortune
Brussels-based partner Henriette Tielemans is quoted in this Fortune article that discusses the effects of the highest E.U. court eliminating the U.S.-E.U. data transfer agreement known as the Safe Harbor Act. “Hindsight is a beautiful thing,” said Tielemans. “We must all remember that in 2015 things are different than they were in 2000.”
October 6, 2015, Covington Alert
September 23, 2015, Inside Privacy
This morning (September 23, 2015), EU Advocate General (“AG”) Bot issued an Opinion in Case C-362/14 Maximilian Schrems v Data Protection Commissioner (see our earlier post on the hearing here). The AG Opinion has gone further than expected, covering not just the power of national data protection authorities in relation to complaints under the Safe...… Continue ...
The EU General Data Protection Regulation: What’s Next and What It Means For Your Business
July 1, 2015, Webinar
June 11, 2015
BRUSSELS, June 11, 2015 — Covington has received 20 leading practice group rankings in the 2015 editions of Chambers Europe and Legal 500 EMEA. The legal guides have recognised the firm’s expertise in the following areas: CHAMBERS EUROPE Europe-wide - Regulatory - Agro/Food Europe-wide - Regulatory - Environment Europe-wide - Regulatory - ...
Covington’s Brussels harvest
September 22, 2014, Commercial Dispute Resolution
Covington's Peter Camesasca, Johan Ysewyn, Melissa Van Schoorisse, Miranda Cole, Henriette Tielemans, Sebastian Vos, and Jean De Ruyt are mentioned in this article on the growth of Covington's Brussels office: "April was a busy month for Covington & Burling’s competition lawyers, marking, as it did, the welcome return of Peter Camesasca – who temporarily ...
September 11, 2014, Inside Privacy
Covington will be hosting a book launch for the 2014 title ‘Data Protection & Privacy Law 2nd Edition’, edited by Monika Kuschewsky, in partnership with The European Lawyer (Thomson Reuters) on September 23, 2014 in Brussels. The event will comprise a half-day workshop followed by a drinks reception. We are pleased to confirm that the...… Continue Reading
July 7, 2014
LONDON, 7 July, 2014 — Euromoney Legal Media Group awarded Covington partners Lisa Peets and Carmen Martinez Lopez the ‘Best in Copyright’ and ‘Rising Star - Litigation’ awards at the annual European Women in Business Law Awards ceremony in London. The awards honour firms that set “the standard in terms of female-friendly work practices, and women leading the ...
May 2, 2014
LONDON, 1 May, 2014 — Euromoney Legal Media Group have shortlisted nine Covington lawyers for the annual ‘Europe Women in Business Law Awards’ 2014. Those shortlisted for “Best in” their respective practice areas are: Competition and Antitrust - Miranda Cole Copyright - Lisa Peets Financial Regulation - Charlotte Hill Life ...
4/30/2014
Brussels, 30 April, 2014 — Covington & Burling is pleased to announce that Johan Ysewyn and Peter Camesasca are joining the firm's Brussels office as partners, where they will play substantial roles in the firm’s global antitrust and competition practice. The additions of Mr. Ysewyn and Dr. Camesasca will strengthen the firm’s existing EU competition team in ...
March 26, 2014, Inside Privacy
As part of an ongoing European tour, President Obama has met with several EU political leaders in Brussels today. After the meeting, Herman van Rompuy, President of the EU, stated that the US has agreed to review the Safe Harbor. There are no further details known at this stage but most likely the changes will be...… Continue Reading
February 12, 2014, Inside Privacy
Speaking at Berkeley’s Online Tracking Workshop today, Françoise Le Bail, Director-General of the European Commission’s DG Justice (the leading department regarding the EU data protection reforms) confirmed the European Commission’s vision that the EU needs stronger penalties in order to ensure effective enforcement of European data protection rules. Ms. Le Bail ...
January 22, 2014, Inside Privacy
Recent events in the European Parliament and European Council demonstrate that concerns over the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Agreement are continuing to mount, and reform or even revocation of the Safe Harbor Agreement remains a possibility. Today, Covington published a client alert that discusses recent developments involving the Safe Harbor Agreement and the ...
From Privacy Professional to Privacy for Professionals: Expanding Privacy Beyond the Office of the CPO/DPO
January 2014, 7th International Conference on Computers, Privacy and Data Protection, Brussels
Privacy, Content, Ethics and Big Data
December 2013, Competition Summit, Brussels
November 27, 2013, Covington E-Alert
Analysing LIBE’s Draft of the EU Data Protection Regulation
November 2013, IAPP Webinar
October 24, 2013, Covington E-Alert
February 26, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC, February 26, 2013 — The BTI Consulting Group has named Covington & Burling partners David Martin and Henriette Tielemans to its 2013 “Client Service All-Stars” list. The BTI “Client Service All-Stars” were singled out by general counsel and direct reports at large and Fortune 1000 organizations in one-on-one interviews. Mr. Martin, based in ...
Covington’s Tielemans to IAPP Executive Committee
February 5, 2013
BRUSSELS, 5 February, 2013 — The International Association of Privacy Professionals, the world’s largest association of privacy professionals, has appointed Covington & Burling’s Henriette (“Jetty”) Tielemans to its executive committee. “I am thrilled to welcome Jetty to our executive committee,” said J. Trevor Hughes, president and CEO of IAPP. “Her expertise ...
January 22, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC, January 22, 2013 — For the second straight year, Law360 named Covington & Burling’s global privacy and data security practice as one of the top five “Privacy & Consumer Protection Practice Groups of the Year.” In a profile highlighting the firm’s privacy-related work, Law360 noted the group’s recent litigation win for LinkedIn Corp. In that case, ...
The Proposed EU Data Protection Regulation
October 2012, Benelux General Counsel Dinner, Brussels
March 27, 2012, Covington E-Alert
January 9, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, January 9, 2012 — Law360 named Covington & Burling’s global privacy & data security practice as one of the top five “Privacy & Consumer Protection Practice Groups of the Year.” In a profile about the firm published on Jan. 5th, Law360 pointed to Covington’s broad practice in assisting clients in transactions, on advisory matters, in social ...
IAPP Europe Data Protection Congress
November 29, 2011, When International Anti-corruption and Fraud Statutes Conflict with Data Protection Laws: Overcoming the Challenges
Q&A With Covington's Henriette Tielemans
September 14, 2011, Law360
Henriette Tielemans participated in this Q&A on privacy and consumer protection.
June 17, 2011, Inside Privacy
In 2009, Directive 2002/58/EC, the so-called ePrivacy Directive, was amended. The deadline for EU Member States to implement the revised Directive in their national laws was May 25, 2011, but very few Member States met the deadline and even today, almost one month after the deadline, discussions remain ongoing in most national parliaments. The implementation ...
Covington Advises Microsoft in $8.5 Billion Skype Deal
May 10, 2011
WASHINGTON, SAN FRANCISCO, BRUSSELS, AND LONDON, May 10, 2011 —Covington & Burling LLP is advising Microsoft Corp. in its acquisition of Skype Global S.à.r.l., the leading Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion in cash. Microsoft’s purchase of Skype from the investor group led by Silver Lake is expected to increase the accessibility of real-time ...
April 18, 2011, Inside Privacy
Today the European Commission adopted an evaluation report on the Data Retention Directive. This Directive requires EU Member States to ensure that telecommunications service providers retain certain categories of data for the purpose of investigations, detection and prosecution of serious crime, as defined by the national law of the Member States. Since its ...
February 24, 2011, Inside Privacy
At a recent presentation in Frankfurt, Peter Hustinx, head of the European Data Protection Supervisor Office in Brussels, launched an intriguing idea: sanctioning violations of data protection law in the same manner as violations of competition law. The trade press regularly reports on multi-million euro fines for cartels or abuses of dominant positions by ...
February 15, 2011, EuroWatch
February 10, 2011, Covington Advisory
December 21, 2010, Covington Advisory
July 21, 2010, Covington E-Alert
April 27, 2010, Inside EU Life Sciences
Originally published as Covington E-Alert on April 27, 2010 On 20 April 2010, the European Commission published new rules governing so-called “vertical” agreements, such as distribution and supply agreements. The new rules are set out in the Vertical Restraints Block Exemption Regulation and the related Guidelines (see DG Competition’s website). They will ...
March 29, 2010, Covington Advisory
March 1, 2010, Covington Advisory
February 9, 2010, Covington E-Alert
January/February 2010, The Privacy Advisor
January 5, 2010, Covington Advisory
November 23, 2009, Covington Advisory
October 2009, The Privacy Advisor
July 16, 2009, Covington E-Alert
April 2009, Privacy Laws & Business International
11/12/2008
BRUSSELS, November 12, 2008 — Covington & Burling LLP partner Henriette Tielemans has been appointed to the Data Protection expert group (GEX PD) by the European Commission. The Data Protection expert group will assist the Commission in identifying challenges for the protection of personal data in the EU, and putting forward proposals for addressing those ...
June 2006, BNA International World Data Protection Report
Use of Consent for Data Transfers Oustside the EU, Whistle-Blower Hotlines and EU Privacy Rules
April 10, 2006, BNA Inc - Privacy and Security Law Report
April 10, 2006, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.'s Privacy & Security Law Report
January 16, 2006, Covington E-Alert
Is Consent No Longer a Valid Basis for Transfers of Personal Data from the E.U. to the U.S.?
January 2006, BNA International: World Data Protection Report
The Position of the Data Controller
December 2005, Workshop on International Data Transfers, organized by the Art. 29 Working Party and the U.S. Department of Commerce
December 2005, Covington E-Alert
October 2005, ABA Section on International Law - Data Privacy Panel
Harmonization of EU Privacy Laws in the Member States: A Slow Process
October 2005, ABA International Section, Fall Meeting
Cybercrime:Data Security Aspects
April 2005, Laurence Simmons' General Counsel Dinner and Seminar, Benelux
July 29, 2004, Covington E-Alert
March 5, 2004, Covington E-Alert
The Impact of the European Union's Privacy Directive on U.S. Companies
March 2004, presentation at the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation
International Product Distribution: An EU Perspective
2004, presentation at the ABA, Antitrust Section, Spring Meeting
Alternative Contract Clauses for Data Transfers and Resolution of Airline Passenger Data Disputes
December 22, 2003, Covington E-Alert
November 10, 2003, Covington E-Alert
October 2, 2003, Covington & Burling Client Report
July 14, 2003, Covington E-Alert
Structuring Sales Arrangements for Branded Goods in an Enlarged Europe
May 2003, presentation at Laurence Simons' The General Counsel Dinner & Seminar - Consumer, Retail & Branded Goods
EU Data Protection Legislation: Challenges with Compliance
November 2002, Covington & Burling's Data Protection Conference
November 13, 2000, Legal Times
EC Anti-Dumping Policy
1992, Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, Volume 20, No. 1, p. 35 and No. 2, p. 167
September 1991, Legislation Food, Drug, Cosmetic and Medical Device Law Digest, 3, p. 14
EC Trade Relations with Japan
1991, Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, Volume 19, No. 12, p. 1536
1981, Northwestern Journal of International Law and Business, Vol. 2, pp. 452-495
- Euromoney Legal Media Group, shortlisted for Europe Women in Business Law Awards for Privacy and Data Protection (2020, 2018) and TMT (2014)
- Chambers Global, Data Protection (2008-2017)
- Chambers Europe, Data Protection (2015-2020)
- Legal 500 EMEA
- EU Regulatory, Privacy & Data Protection (2010-2017)
- EU Regulatory, Information Technology (2016)
- IT and Telecoms (2016)
- Competition - Belgium (2010)
- IAM Patent 1000 - The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners (2012-2015)
- BTI Client All Stars (2013)
- Elected to Board of International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)