UK and USA : Joint statement on deepening the Data Partnership

January 6, 2022

The United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) have issued a statement on their governments’ shared commitment to deepening the data partnership between the two countries to ensure a more peaceful and prosperous future by encouraging the trusted use and exchange of data across borders.

Few days ago, the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) started outlining its agenda for 2022, with a focus on digital trade, among other priorities, in the broader framework of establishing a “network of liberty”. The latter point overlaps with the Government of the United States of America (US, or USA), which hosted a virtual “Summit for Democracy,” calling on nations to reject authoritarianism and the use of technology to repress citizens. As part of the Summit for Democracy, the US Government unveiled its strategy for combatting corruption.
Meanwhile, the UK Secretaries of State for International Trade and Digital, Culture, Media and Sport with the US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo also focused at the beginning of this month on data. They agreed to deepen the UK-US partnership on data, including promoting the use and exchange of data across borders. The two sides affirmed intentions to work towards a UK-US adequacy decision – the status which guarantees high standards of protection for cross-border data flows.

“The challenges facing cross-border data flows are increasingly global and require solutions that work across multiple jurisdictions. We recognize the negative trends that risk closing off international data flows. In response, we seek to shape a global data ecosystem in a manner that promotes and advances interoperability between different data protection frameworks, facilitating cross-border data flows while maintaining high standards of data protection and trust. We are committed to open and inclusive engagement with international partners, industry, civil society, and consumer and privacy rights groups.”

A US summary of the meeting also noted Secretaries Raimondo and Dorries commitment to “working with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on common principles for trusted government access and agreed to take steps to cooperate globally to promote cross-border data flows.” The US and UK also issued a joint statement on deepening the data partnership.

“Our rich and shared histories, traditions, and commitment to high privacy standards pre-dates the advent of digital technologies, continues today, and will continue and evolve through future technological innovation. We look forward to continuing to build on our partnership in early 2022.”

The goal is to shape a global data ecosystem capable of addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow by designing and delivering tools for the 21st century.