March 2018

Digital Trade: Staying Connected in a Diverging World

As storm clouds gather over the global trading system and Britain and Europe re-think their economic relationship, senior policymakers, think tankers and other digital-economy experts convened for the High-Level Working Lunch on Digital Trade and Policy: Staying Connected in a Diverging World, hosted by the Lisbon Council. Matthew Gould, director-general for digital and media policy in the department for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) of the United Kingdom, outlined his vision of modern digital-trade principles, pro-innovation Internet regulation, powerful cyber security, effective data protection and secure crossborder data flows. Later, Gonçalo Carriço, political adviser for innovation, technology and digital policy, European People’s Party (EPP); Nele Eichhorn, member of cabinet, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström; Paolo Grassia, head of regulation, European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO); Robert Madelin, chair and director of Fipra International; Laure Wagener, senior adviser for data regulation, Vodafone; and Sarah Wagner, digital trade policy manager, DigitalEurope, joined the working lunch, which focused on devising new means of collaboration, and setting effective rules for crossborder data trade. The working lunch was chaired by Luukas Ilves, deputy director and senior fellow, the Lisbon Council.