BRUSSELS – 29 June 2018 – BSA | The Software Alliance welcomes the confirmation of Gordon Sondland as US Ambassador to the European Union. “We look forward to working with Ambassador Sondland on important software issues, including cross-border data flows, privacy, trade and artificial intelligence. We encourage the Ambassador to explore new opportunities to facilitate cross-border data flows and remove any barriers to digital trade”, said Thomas Boué.

Transatlantic trade is essential to both European and American economies. Software contributes more than $1 trillion to the US GDP and supports over 10 million jobs. In Europe, software delivers a total value-added GDP of €910 billion, also supporting over 7 percent of the EU28 total GDP. Those benefits depend on data and the ability to move data freely across borders. Cross-border data flows benefit every industry, from enabling e-commerce to helping banks detect fraud to supporting groundbreaking medical research.

BSA stands ready to support the work of the European Commission and US Administration on the EU-US Privacy Shield, a vital mechanism for transatlantic data flows, which will undergo its second annual review this summer.