Computer & Communication Industry Association

Data flows in the EU: CCIA welcomes European Parliament vote, urges fast and ambitious final adoption

Brussels — The European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection  today voted through the legislative proposal on the free flow of non-personal data in the EU.  The committee vote gives the Parliament mandate to start negotiations with the European Council with possibly final adoption of the legislation as early as this month.

EU Member States have increasingly enacted forced data localisation measures.  At least 21 direct and 35 indirect measures have appeared in recent years (ECIPE, 2016).  The European Commission presented its proposal for a Regulation in September 2017 to “ensure a free flow of data, allowing companies and public administrations to store and process non-personal data wherever they choose in the EU.”

CCIA is long supporter of this proposal which will remove national barriers to data flows, increase competition and consumer choice and help achieve a European Digital Single Market.

The following can be attributed to CCIA Europe’s Vice President, Christian Borggreen:

“We welcome today’s vote which is an important step towards achieving a European Digital Single Market.  We encourage Parliament and Council to quickly finalise negotiations on this ambitious Regulation to remove national barriers to data flows and increase competition and consumer choice.”

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