BRUSSELS: The landmark deal on cross-border data flows between the EU and Japan entered into force today.

‘This deal is a milestone in our joint efforts to advance the digitalisation of European and Japanese societies and economies. Its provisions will facilitate business on both sides, sending a strong signal against digital protectionism,’ the European Commission stated.

With its inclusion in the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the agreement will deliver real benefits to companies active across most sectors, such as financial services, transport, machinery, and e-commerce. Businesses can now handle data more efficiently, without cumbersome administrative or storage requirements, in a predictable legal environment.

This entry into force of this agreement also promotes the concept of ‘Data Free Flow with Trust’, a guiding principle for international cooperation on data flows, based on our shared values. It allows us to lay the foundation for a common approach on digital trade, acting against
arbitrary unjustified restrictions to data flows, while promoting shared prosperity.

In October 2022, the EU and Japan decided to start the negotiations to include rules on cross-border data flows in their EPA.

The value of the fast-growing EU-27 data economy was estimated at pound 325 billion in 2019, representing 2.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). It is expected to almost triple by 2025, reaching about pound 830 billion (5.8 percent of the EU’s overall GDP). For Japan, data economy was estimated to represent 1.2 percent of GDP in 2019.

Source: Emirates News Agency