EU memberstates finally approved the transatlantic data pact known as the ,following revisionsdemanded by the EU.

In a July 8statement, the European Commission said the new agreement is "fundamentallydifferent" from the scrapped Safe Harbor , due to stricter obligations tocompanies handling data, among other provisions.

The U.S. governmentalso submitted a written guarantee that it will not engage in indiscriminatemass surveillance of European citizens' data, and that U.S. agencies accessingsuch data will be subject to clear limitations, safeguards and oversight.