WASHINGTON – March 3, 2020 – The Global Data Alliance welcomes the issuance by the UK Department of International Trade (DIT) of digital trade negotiating objectives for a UK-US Free Trade Agreement. The Department rightly recognizes the importance of maintaining robust protections for personal data, while also facilitating the free flow of data and eliminating unjustified data localization requirements. DIT explains that, “cross-border data flows are an important facilitator of both digitally enabled and digitally delivered trade in goods and services,” and it underscores that “more than 72% of UK services exports to the US (approx. £46 billion) were delivered remotely in 2018, the majority of which were due to cross-border data flows.” Ensuring a predictable and stable environment for the movement of information between the United Kingdom and the United States will create jobs and promote innovation across the Atlantic. The Global Data Alliance welcomes the United Kingdom’s commitment to cross-border data transfers and robust standards of data responsibility, and looks forward to working with the United Kingdom and the United States to advance these important priorities.

About the Global Data Alliance

The Global Data Alliance (globaldataalliance.org) is a cross-industry coalition of companies that are committed to high standards of data responsibility and that rely on the ability to transfer data around the world to innovate and create jobs. The Alliance supports policies that help instill trust in the digital economy while safeguarding the ability to transfer data across borders and refraining from imposing data localization requirements that restrict trade.

Alliance members include BSA members and American Express, Amgen, AT&T, Mastercard, Panasonic, United Airlines, Verizon, Visa, and WD-40 Company. These companies are headquartered across the globe and are active in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, electronics, entertainment, financial and payment services, health, consumer goods, supply chain, and telecommunications sectors, among others. BSA | The Software Alliance administers the Global Data Alliance.