ICT Industry Recommendations for G7 and ICT Ministerial

Recommended Outcomes for Promoting Innovation, Development, and the Digital Economy

The Internet and information and communication technologies (ICT) are vital to the growth and development of the global economy. The G7 is a critically important setting for the world’s leading governments to outline approaches to managing 21st century global ICT policy challenges and advancing the world’s digital economy. This would involve outcomes that simultaneously advance privacy protections, enhance national security and data security, and enable the cross-border data flows that power growth and innovation.

The G7 can demonstrate global leadership on ICT priorities if it agrees on the following outcomes in 2016:

Recommended Outcomes:

1. Data flows and localization measures. Promote the principle that nations should allow and facilitate crossborder data flows as the foundation of innovation and efficient development. To expedite broader adoption and benefit of these technologies, countries should not impose measures requiring the local storage or processing of data or the use of local facilities, hardware, or services.

2. Cybersecurity. Ensuring that measures they take to enhance cybersecurity reflect the global nature of cyberspace, rely on risk management-based approaches that avoid prescribed standards for individual technologies, and incorporate meaningful consultation with the private sector to encourage innovative, flexible, and cost-effective solutions.

3. Privacy/data protection. Acknowledging the importance of protecting the privacy of personal information and data to build trust and confidence in the digital economy and committing to pursue privacy and data protection policies that draw on existing multi-stakeholder frameworks and international norms of interoperability and promotion of commerce.

4. Standards and technical regulations. Using global, voluntary, industry-led standards and technical regulations in the development of new products and services; refraining from mandating the transfer, disclosure, or use of technologies, production processes, development methods, or other proprietary information as a condition for doing business.

5. Transparency and stakeholder consultation. Undertaking transparency measures and consultation with industry and other stakeholders – including through advance notice of, and an opportunity to comment on, draft laws, regulations, and other measures affecting ICT.

6. Commitment to open markets. Recognizing that free trade and open markets are the foundation of economic development and innovation, and to allow for non-discriminatory access to their markets for ICT goods and services, whether provided on a cross-border basis or through an investment.