TOKYO – October 26, 2020 – BSA | The Software Alliance welcomes the inclusion of robust and forward-looking digital trade provisions in the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, signed on Friday, October 23. The agreement supports core features of the digital environment – cross-border data transfers, personal information protection, mechanisms to promote interoperability among privacy law frameworks, transparent access to government information, and consumer protection and choice online. The agreement also prohibits or limits certain digital trade barriers, including data localization mandates, customs duties on software and other electronic transmissions, and unreasonable measures that mandate the disclosure of proprietary source code and algorithms as a condition of market access.

“The agreement between these two significant markets reflects London and Tokyo’s leadership on international, data-related policies and points to a broader recognition of the importance of digital trade to healthy economies,” said Joseph Whitlock, Director, Policy at BSA | The Software Alliance. “BSA applauds the UK and Japan for their constructive work on digital trade within the broader international economic ecosystem. This is a meaningful step in the direction of global rules on data for the Digital 21st Century.”

“The UK-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement is a very positive development for both economies,” said Tomoko Naoe, Senior Manager, Policy — Japan at BSA | The Software Alliance. “It is one of only a handful of bilateral trade agreements in the world to include strong digital provisions that encourage responsible cross-border data flows, promote high data protection standards, and limit data localization.”

To learn more about BSA’s digital trade priorities, visit: https://www.bsa.org/policy-issues/trade