International Trade Committee launches inquiry into digital trade and data

The International Trade Committee is today launching its inquiry into digital trade and data. Digital trade refers to digitally enabled, or digitally delivered, trade in goods and services. Such trade involves the movement of data.

The Committee’s inquiry will explore a range of issues, including digital trade and data provisions in Free Trade Agreements, concerns around the security and privacy of data, the environmental impact of digital trade, and the relevant legal frameworks.

Chair of the International Trade Committee, Angus MacNeil MP, said:

“This year has seen many aspects of life move online, with more of us than ever working and socialising over the web. Commerce was no exception to this trend, with digital trade increasing significantly as we were all forced to adapt to life during lockdown. At the same time, the UK has agreed its first new Free Trade Agreement since leaving the EU – the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement – which includes new provisions on data and digital trade. There are significant and obvious benefits to digital trade, with goods and services from across the globe being available at the click of a button.

“However, it is important to understand the cost of this convenience. There are concerns around the security and privacy of the data involved in digital trade, and other impacts – such as on the environment – are also yet to be fully understood.

“This inquiry will attempt to understand the opportunities created by digital trade for UK businesses, and will ask important questions about how the UK should approach these issues in its future trade negotiations.”

The Committee welcomes written evidence on the following questions by Friday 12 February 2021:

• What are the main barriers faced by UK businesses engaging in digital trade? 
• What opportunities does digital trade present for UK businesses?
• How does the regulation of digital trade impact consumers? 
• What approach(es) should the UK take to negotiating digital and data provisions – including those concerning the free flow of data, protection for personal data, net neutrality, data localisation, and intellectual property– in its future trade agreements?
• What does the UK-Japan Agreement indicate about the UK’s approach to digital trade and data provisions in future trade negotiations?
• What approach should the UK take towards renewing the WTO’s moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions? 
• What objectives should the UK have when negotiating digital and data provisions during its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)?
• Will the global increase in digital trade affect the environment in a positive or negative way? What steps can be taken to mitigate any negative environmental impacts of increased digital trade?  
• What domestic and international law is relevant to the Government’s approach to digital trade?

Form of written evidence:

Submissions should be no longer than 3,000 words. The main body of any submission should use numbered paragraphs. Each submission should contain: 

· a short summary, perhaps in bullet point form;

· a brief introduction about the person or organisation submitting evidence, for example explaining their area of expertise or experience;

· any factual information from which the Committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other witnesses;

· any recommendations for action by the Government or others which the submitter would like the Committee to consider for inclusion in its report to the House.

Submissions should be in malleable format such as MS Word (not PDFs) with no use of colour or logos. Guidance on submitting written evidence and data protection information is available here: Guidance on submitting written evidence.

Deadline for submissions

The Committee is asking for initial written evidence to be submitted through the Committee’s web portalby midnight on 12 February 2021.

It is recommended that all submitters familiarise themselves with the Guidance on giving evidence to a Select Committee of the House of Commons which outlines particulars of word count, format, document size, and content restrictions.