The seminar was opened by the Czech Permanent Representative to COREPER I, Ambassador Jaroslav Zajíček, highlighting the Czech standpoint that the free flow of data is a vital necessity for completion of the Digital Single Market. „Together with others, we perceive the free flow of data as the fifth freedom, and we joined the call of 14 Member States upon the Commission to make headway with a legislative proposal,“ stated ambassador Zajíček. He also briefly introduced remaining aims of the seminar: to discuss the external dimension of the DSM and its role in international trade as well as look into the emerging questions related to data ownership, rights to access machine-generated data and liability issues. He stressed out the dedication of Member States to tear down regulatory barriers and move from 28 national digital markets to a single one. Data will play a crucial role in the process. „We expect the digital economy to see a rapid growth over the next couple of years namely due to its data driven components,“ stated ambassador Zajíček.

In the consequent panel discussion, MEP Dita Charanzová reflected on data flows in the context of FTAs and denounced the localisation rules imposed on data storage. „In the 21st century, I personally cannot imagine international trade agreements without digital chapters.  Data localisation restrictions are bad for everyone – for Member States, for businesses, for individuals,“ stressed  MEP Dita Charanzová. Also Milena Jabůrková, Member of Board of the Czech Confederation of Industry, appealed for a horizontal legislation on free flow of data. „We need a European legal framework to prevent national data localization restrictions, facilitate cross border data flows and ensure a proper notification of both current or future limitations,“ she said.

The topic is being intensely dealt with by the European Commission. In January 2017, the Communication on „Building a European Data Economy“ has been published and the decision on whether further legislative steps are required is soon to be taken. Pearse O´Donohue, Acting Director for Future Networks at DG CONNECT, emphasized that the Commission is seeking for feedback from relevant players and called upon them to actively participate in the ongoing public consultation. According to a latest survey, the removal of localization restrictions would raise the EU economy by 8 billion Euro annually, O´Donohue added.

Being a hot topic in Brussels, data flows attracted 70 attendees mainly from the diplomatic community, including several permanent representatives to COREPER I.

• The seminar „Data Flows: Heartbeat of the Digital Single Market”