WASHINGTON – April 22, 2022 – The Global Data Alliance welcomes steps taken by Canada, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States to create a new Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum. The Forum, in which the United Kingdom has also expressed interest, aims to establish an international certification system based on the APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) and Privacy Recognition for Processors (PRP) Systems that can support the responsible and secure movement of data and effective data protection and privacy across transnational IT networks. The Forum would also promote interoperability and allow for information exchange and cooperation among like-minded countries.

“The work of the Global CBPR Forum is critical in today’s economy,” said Joseph Whitlock, Executive Director of the Global Data Alliance. “Secure and responsible cross-border data transfers support many policy imperatives, including digital inclusion, cybersecurity, fraud prevention, anti-money laundering, and other activities relating to the protection of health, privacy, security, and regulatory compliance. They also support shared cross-border economic prosperity that benefits workers, citizens, and businesses of all sizes, including small- and medium-sized enterprises. The CBPR Forum will respect each Party’s right to regulate on privacy matters where necessary, while promoting interoperability mechanisms that can help build digital trust and enable the secure and responsible data transfers that support these policy imperatives.”