Can organizations transfer personal data to third countries outside the EU?

Organizations can indeed transfer personal data to third countries outside the EU, but this is contingent on ensuring that adequate protection measures are in place. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) establishes strict requirements for such transfers to maintain the high level of data protection mandated within the EU.

To facilitate these transfers, the GDPR allows for several mechanisms to confirm that the receiving country provides an adequate level of data protection comparable to that offered within the EU. This can involve decisions by the European Commission that recognize specific countries as providing sufficient safeguards, the use of standard contractual clauses, or binding corporate rules that establish uniform privacy practices across an organization.

Options suggesting a complete prohibition or unrestricted transfer of personal data misrepresent the framework established by the GDPR. While obtaining consent from data subjects is a valid principle within data processing, it does not address the regulatory framework specifically mentioned in the question regarding international transfers; thus, it is not a sufficient condition on its own for such transfers.