Comments to the U.S. International Trade Commission on the Critical Role of Data in the Global Economy

Nigel Cory's written submission to the U.S. International Trade Commission's investigation into global digital trade focused on the critical role of data in the global economy and how an increasing number of countries are enacting barriers to data flows. The submission examines the rationales countries use to enact barriers to data flows and the substantial cost of these policies. It also analyzes recent examples of data localization in China, Russia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, and also includes an appendix that lists many more. Finally, it examines why intellectual property protection and enforcement is crucial for modern digital trade.