WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS/TOKYO – Today three leading technology sector trade groups jointly released their recommendations to G7 leaders on how they can promote innovation, development, and the digital economy when they meet in Japan this May. The recommendations – released by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), DIGITALEUROPE, and the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) – call on G7 Leaders to bring greater focus on developing the digital economy in their discussions this year, given the growing importance of information and communications technologies (ICT) to businesses across all sectors.

The recommendations come as concerns regarding consumer privacy and cybersecurity have opened important policy debates in both developed and developing countries. New regulations being debated by policymakers around the world pose a risk to the remarkable economic growth countries have enjoyed thanks to the rapid development of the ICT sector in recent years.

ITI, DIGITALEUROPE, and JEITA recommend that G7 leaders commit their governments to:

  • Facilitate cross-border data flows that are key to the health and growth of the modern, global economy.
  • Ensure that measures taken to enhance cybersecurity are not also used for protectionist purposes.
  • Promote policies that protect consumer privacy while building on international norms of interoperability and the promotion of commerce.

The technology trade groups also urge G7 Leaders to use the May summit to provide leadership to the rest of the world in how best to spread the economic and social benefits that ICTs provide by embracing principles of interconnectivity, interoperability, and open trade. An agreement on a common approach to ICTs in May would help pave the way for further discussions and agreements at the G20 Leaders meeting in Hangzhou, China, in September.

The G7 members include Japan (who is hosting the 2016 meetings), Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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Related [Trade & Investment, Cybersecurity, Internet Governance, Data & Privacy]