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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryPrivacy & IdentityStandard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)

Privacy & Identity

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)

European Commission-approved contract terms that companies sign to legally transfer personal data from the EU to countries without an adequacy decision.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Standard contractual clauses (SCCs) are European Commission-approved contract terms that companies sign to legally transfer personal data from the EU to countries without an adequacy decision. They bind the recipient to EU-level data protection, and are usually accompanied by a transfer impact assessment of the destination country's laws.