BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Europe's second-highest court on Wednesday backed a new data transfer deal agreed between the European Union and the United States two years ago to replace two previous pacts rejected by a higher tribunal.

"The General Court dismisses an action for annulment of the new framework for the transfer of personal data between the European Union and the United States," it said in a ruling.

"In so doing, it confirms that, on the date of adoption of the contested decision, the United States of America ensured an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the European Union to organisations in that country," the Luxembourg-based General Court added.

The agreement affects thousands of companies, ranging from banks to tech companies to drugmakers and car manufacturers, that transfer personal data across the Atlantic for commercial use such as payroll purposes.

The case is T-553/23 - Latombe v Commission.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee and Sudip Kar-Gupta;)