A roadmap for cross-border data flows: Future-proofing readiness and cooperation in the new data economy

In partnership with the Bahrain Economic Development Board and a Steering Committee-led project community of organisations from around the world, the World Economic Forum (WEF) co-designed the ‘Roadmap for Cross-Border Data Flows’. The roadmap aims at identifying best-practice policies that promote innovation in data-intensive technologies and enable data collaboration at the regional and international levels. It further provides country-level policy building blocks that, when combined, are designed to harness the benefits and minimise the risks of cross-border data sharing. The roadmap provides policy recommendations on six priority areas:

• a) allow data to follow by default;

• b) establish a level of data protection;

• c) prioritise cybersecurity;

• d) hardwire accountability between nations;

• e) prioritise connectivity, technical interoperability, data portability, and data provenance; and

• f) future-proof the policy environment.