The public policy benefits of exchanging personal information must be balanced against the individuals right to privacy. The significance of this balancing exercise is reflected in the Regional Cooperation Framework of the Bali Process. Under the Regional Cooperation Framework, member States are encouraged to enter into practical arrangements to support and promote increased information exchange, while respecting confidentiality and upholding the privacy of affected persons. Member States are encouraged to not only consider the privacy protections available within their own jurisdiction, but also consider the level of privacy protection available within the laws of partnering jurisdictions if they are to cooperate with each other through exchanging personal information.
