Brexit: EuroISPA calls on decision-makers to swiftly agree on trade deal covering digital services
Brussels, 29 January 2020 – EuroISPA calls on decision-makers to swiftly agree on a comprehensive deal covering digital services and ensuring data adequacy, as the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union.
Dr Maximilian Schubert, President of EuroISPA, declared: “As the Brexit talks continue to shape the future of the relationship between the EU and the UK, EuroISPA urges both sides to ensure that the Internet will remain a key connecting factor for Europe. The Internet has been a major force for economic growth and business innovation, enhancing productivity and efficiency, and bringing consumers new and more affordable goods and services. In the EU this has been underpinned by the common regulatory environment of the Digital Single Market, which reduces regulatory barriers between countries just as the Internet reduces technical barriers. When designing the future relationship, we urge both sides to avoid erecting new barriers that would inhibit this growth, and instead look for each side to learn from the other as we create our digital future.”
Going forward, EuroISPA calls on the UK and the EU to swiftly negotiate and agree upon a trade deal which will redefine their relationship. Such an agreement should ensure the highest degree of harmonisation possible in terms of digital policy, in order to ensure that European ISPs can offer services to European citizens, regardless of whether they live in the EU or in the UK. In particular, data adequacy should be preserved, in order to secure the free flow of data between the two entities.
Stakeholders from the UK have made extremely important contributions to the development of innovation and pro-competitive EU ICT policy for many years. EuroISPA and its member associations are committed to ensuring that the borderless character of the Internet remains intact, and will work to develop innovation-friendly policy that benefits both the UK and the EU Member States.
