Government response to Digital Trade & Data report published

2 Nov 2021 12:58 PM

The International Trade Committee publishes the Government’s response to its Digital Trade and Data Report.

• Read the Government Response
• Read the Government Response (PDF 177KB)
• Inquiry: Digital trade and data
• Interantional Trade Committee

Digital trade refers to digitally enabled, or digitally delivered, trade in goods and services. Such trade involves the movement of data.

The Report, published in June 2021, included the following conclusions and recommendations:

• The Government should produce and publish a digital trade and data strategy which clarifies the UK's approach across all trade negotiations and how this approach interacts with domestic law.
• When trade agreements are agreed, the Government should publish an assessment of the agreement's impact on the protection of citizens' data and ability of the UK to maintain its data protection regime.
• The Government should publish an assessment on the risk of UK citizens' data being passed onto third countries without sufficient safeguards when new trade agreements are signed, as well as outlining ways to prevent this from occurring.
• The Government should publish an assessment of the potential impact of new trade agreements on maintaining data adequacy with the European Union.
• While the Government’s intention to build on GDPR is welcome, it should set out how the UK will depart from the EU’s GDPR while maintaining data adequacy and minimising regulatory burdens for businesses.

Further information

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