Data flows aren’t only a critical necessity for business, supporting trillions in economic activity, but also a foundational element of how people around the world communicate, work, and interact with one another, a top US trade official said this week at an event hosted by BSA | The Software Alliance and the Global Data Alliance.
Neema Singh Guliani, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Services at the International Trade Administration within the US Department of Commerce, urged members of industry and other stakeholders to continue communicating the importance of data flows to their counterparts in other countries and to engage with her team at Commerce to provide any insights that may be helpful when developing policy.
“Some of the estimates that I’ve seen have said that roughly 22% of global economic activity is tethered to data flows,” Guliani said. “We’re talking about something that’s not just important in our everyday lives, but also a huge driver of economic activity.”
Guliani joined the event hosted by BSA and the GDA – a cross-sector coalition of over 75 companies focused on the importance of data transfer and digital trade policies – on the sidelines of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Global Privacy Summit in Washington, DC. BSA and the GDA welcomed dozens of member company and industry professionals for the discussion between Guliani and BSA Managing Director of Policy Kate Goodloe; BSA CEO Victoria Espinel offered opening remarks highlighting BSA and the GDA’s sustained advocacy on this issue.
A key takeaway from the discussion was that data flows aren’t just important for those in the tech industry. Rather, Guliani stressed, data transfers are a linchpin for businesses in every sector of the economy across the globe.
With the rise of data localization in countries around the world, the Department of Commerce has created programs like the Cross Border Privacy Rules Forum, participated in TTC conversations, and developed policy like the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) to create and promote data flows and trust in a digital environment.
Guliani also pointed to the momentous trans-Atlantic collaboration on the DPF between the US and the EU relating to data flows and other issues. The Department also is currently working to coordinate implementation of the new mechanisms called for in the DPF that address issues raised in the Schrems decision.
Learn more about the GDA’s work with data transfers and economic development here.
