Thanks to Ante Wessels for calling to my attention to a European Commission Trade Policy Review, which aims “to build a consensus around a fresh medium-term direction for EU trade policy, responding to a variety of new global challenges and taking into account the lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis.” The review includes a request for comments from the public, with submissions due September 15.

The consultation note explains the rationale for the review, and lists specific questions for comments. Readers of this blog may be most interested in the section on the digital economy:

Supporting the digital transition and technological development

The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the digital revolution – e-commerce, e-learning, teleworking, and e-services have become staple elements of our society. While we may go back to previous practices in certain areas, many others will remain for good.

The crisis has therefore highlighted the importance of digital trade, and its role in facilitating global value chains and developing innovative products and services, while reaffirming the need for an effective data privacy framework. These developments have prompted calls to accelerate the setting of international standards for e-commerce, including on data flows, notably via the WTO eCommerce Joint Statement Initiative. In addition to provisions on data flows in trade agreements, the
instruments provided by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for international data transfers facilitate safe data flows ensuring a high level of data protection.

In addition, new technologies and changes in business models- notably in the areas of artificial intelligence, blockchain and 3D printing – are affecting both what we trade and how we trade.

At the same time, we see the strengthening of assertive industrial policies by third countries, particularly in high-tech sectors, usually through massive state support. This trend started prepandemic and will pose increasingly significant risks of trade distortions for EU companies.

In light of recent trends, we must examine how EU trade policy can support the digital transition and help secure the EU’s position in the digital sphere in the long-term.

Question 10: How can digital trade rules benefit EU businesses, including SMEs? How could the digital transition, within the EU but also in developing country trade partners, be supported by trade policy, in particular when it comes to key digital technologies and major developments (e.g. block chain, artificial intelligence, big data flows)?

Question 11: What are the biggest barriers and opportunities for European businesses engaging in digital trade in third countries or for consumers when engaging in e-commerce? How important are the international transfers of data for EU business activity?