BRUSSELS – February 18, 2021 – BSA | The Software Alliance welcomes the strong focus on digital trade and data flows in the EU’s new trade strategy unveiled today, offering the following statement.

“An estimated 60 percent of global GDP will be digitized by 2022. At a time of economic hardship for many countries, digital trade is a beacon for recovery, providing opportunities for job creation, economic growth, and innovation enabled by data-driven technologies,” said Isabelle Roccia, Senior Manager, Policy – EMEA at BSA. “In its trade review released today, the Commission rightly highlights the strategic importance of cross-border data, openness, and international cooperation. BSA is delighted that digital trade ranks so high on the EU's priority list – this is critical to ensuring that data flows freely in a privacy-protective way.”

“Europe has an opportunity to be a global advocate for open and fair digital trade,” Roccia added. “Cooperation with like-minded partners – including Australia, Japan, Singapore, and the United States – will be essential to drive global convergence and promote a modern digital trade rulebook at the WTO. It will also be important that the EU’s trade strategy and internal market policies align, particularly on data flows and market access conditions.”