[October 18, 2017] |
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GSMA and AIC Encourage Greater Engagement among RCEP Countries to Enable a Truly Pan-Asian Digital Economy
The GSMA (News - Alert) and the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) today urged the
participating countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) for greater commitment and engagement. As
representatives of leading companies that operate in the region and
promote the digital economy, the GSMA and AIC believe that the RCEP can
play a critical role in enabling positive policy development in the
digital economy and reducing or removing barriers and restrictions that
suppress digital trade and investments in the Asia Pacific region.
"The RCEP will play an increasingly important role in the region's
digital future, as it involves all of the largest Asian economies,
including both ASEAN and non-ASEAN nations," said Alasdair Grant, head
of Asia Pacific for the GSMA. "This is even more critical in light of
the stalled talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as well as the
growing need for innovation, productivity, economic growth and job
creation in today's digital economies. Services and trade in services
are growing rapidly in Asia Pacific. This is a vital source of growth
for countries in a changing economic environment."
"RCEP has the opportunity to set the trade rules that are necessary to
ensure a growing digital economy across Asia - the protection of
cross-border data flows is a critical part of this," said Jeff Paine,
Managing Director of AIC.
In particular, the GSMA and AIC strongly support an RCEP outcome that
drives progress toward the following objectives:
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Stronger economic cooperation, through aligned approaches to
enact progressive policies and regulations that will facilitate the
growth of the broad digital econmy, particularly critical sectors
such as telecommunications, e-commerce and digital services. This
would include elimination of restrictions to digital trade such as
barriers to cross-border data flows and requirements to localise data;
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Greater investment through removal or reduction of restrictions
and creation of strong investment protection mechanisms including
minimum standards of treatment, and compensation in cases of
expropriation. The opportunities for partnerships between
international and domestic players, as well as the development and
growth of local players, are greatest where the regulatory environment
supports investment by both international and domestic organisations.
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Emergence of a regional digital economic architecture, through
facilitation, promotion and enablement of digital economy access and
infrastructure across the region.
The GSMA and AIC encourage participating countries to ensure an outcome
that contains explicit provisions to secure the above, which will enable
the RCEP to create a trade environment fit for the digital age as well
as develop future economic competitiveness of its member countries.
About the GSMA The GSMA represents the interests of mobile
operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300
companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device
makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies,
as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also
produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress (News - Alert), Mobile
World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile
360 Series of conferences.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com.
Follow the GSMA on Twitter (News - Alert): @GSMA.
About the AIC The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) is an
industry association made up of leading internet and technology
companies. The AIC seeks to promote the understanding and resolution of
Internet policy issues in the Asia Pacific region. For information,
please visit https://www.aicasia.org/.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171018005535/en/
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