A message to Tallinn: unleash Europe’s data economy
Industry calls for an end to data localisation
Today, BusinessEurope and Noerr LLP released a study on legal issues of digitalisation in Europe. As Europe’s leaders meet at the Digital Summit in Tallinn today, we believe that this is a timely update. It reveals daily digitalisation problems of industry in Europe from the grass roots level. This includes key findings on the approach needed to create conditions for Europe to lead in the global data economy. The value of the European data economy has the ability to increase to 739 billion EUR or some 4% of EU GDP by 2020 if the correct policies are set.
BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said: “Our study on Legal Issues of Digitalisation in Europe is a clear message to Europe’s leaders meeting today in Tallinn. Businesses want to see an end to unjustified national measures that restrict the free flow of non-personal data in Europe.”
Regarding national data localisation requirements, BusinessEurope believes that the European Commission’s recent release of its proposal for a Regulation on the Free Flow of non-Personal Data is an important step in the right direction for Europe’s data economy. At the same time, not all technological trends need to be followed by legislation.
“While we support the Commission’s recently released proposal on the free flow of data and hope that the Council can prioritise this work, we take this opportunity to remind all EU institutions that emerging data issues are already answered through existing legislation and contractual practices. Upholding better regulation principles is key for our digital single market. Only real market failures should be followed by legislative action following comprehensive assessment.”
See the Commission proposal and press release on the free flow of data.