How does international trade rely on cross border data flows?

International trade increasingly relies on cross-border data flows. Cross-border data flows enable companies to sell goods and services online, to supply digitized products, to manage supply chains, and to access information on foreign markets and regulations applicable to their products. Digital transformation has also made companies more reliant on the collection and use of information that data-driven technologies make available. Easier access to more and more diverse information enables businesses to improve marketing plans and develop products, sustain or create business models, manage back-office functions, coordinate supply chains, and better anticipate and respond to cyber incidents.
Data flows can best foster trade if complementary policies are put in place that enhance connectivity while safeguarding network integrity and security, that promote trust in the way information is collected and used, and that encourage a level playing field. The WTO Economic Research and Statistics Division (ERSD) proposes a series of webinars to explore interactions between data flows, data governance and trade and the role of international cooperation in achieving a balance between trade and other policy objectives, including privacy, cyber-security, competition and innovation as well as addressing the digital divide.
These first two webinars of the series aim at providing an overview of the different ways in which international trade relies on cross-border data flows. The first webinar addresses the mechanics of data flows, that is, the infrastructure and services that transmit bits and bytes around the world. The second webinar invites large and small businesses and trade associations to describe how they rely on global data and information flows to conduct business.