Trade Pacts expert to organise conference on Regulating International Transfers of Data

Posted by Dr. Marina Foltea
On March 3, 2016
investment treaties, national security, regional trade agreements, WTO

The high volume of intercontinental data exchange, nearly one petabyte (1000 terabytes) per minute, is a staggering accompaniment to today’s tech-savvy world. However, this sharp growth –*45 times greater than in 2005 – comes with complexities and several areas for concern.

The University of Basel’s Law Faculty will soon facilitate a conference on Regulating International Transfers of Data to tackle the causes and potential resolutions to this data unease.

To be held on 7 April 2016 in Switzerland’s historic university town of Basel, the seminar will welcome both local and international authorities, government officials, and members of the public to explore issues surrounding the regulation of international trade data flows.

This massive flow of information, largely unchecked, has stimulated many challenging debates: How do we curtail breaches and ensure cyber privacy? How do we simultaneously protect economic development and national security?

“Unfortunately, implementation of data legislation is lagging behind the pace of technological developments in our cyber world,” explains Trade Pacts’ affiliate Prof Krista Nadakavukaren, ahead of the conference. “Today, both policymakers and the legal community face a pressing need to reassess the pertinent questions of whether, when, to what extent, and how data transfer between and within countries should be monitored or controlled.

“The academic community often isolates itself from private companies and their work. This event provides the perfect platform for all key stakeholders, both private and public entities, at all levels, to work together.”

A line-up of industry heavyweights

More than 25 local and international expert speakers; from Switzerland, India, England, Australia, and Japan, will address the pertinent issues.

Participants can expect a thought-provoking keynote address by London-based Peters and Peters attorney Monty Raphael QC. Raphael is one of the world’s leading white-collar crime lawyers and an International Bar Association Working Group leader. Raphael’s fifty-year career has earned him almost mythical status amongst the criminal law fraternity and his talks are well received by a wide ranging audience.

A roundtable discussion will look at data issues in terms of international trade and investment rules – examining where the World Trade Organisation (WTO), regional trade agreements, and the rules of international investment treaties may limit a state’s ability to restrict data transfers.

The event is open to the public at a fee of 90CHF for the full day. This will include two coffee breaks and an apéro/cocktail function following the close of conference. Visitors are welcome to attend the keynote speech and apéro only, at a fee of 50CHF.

Space is limited to the first 100 registrations. To register or for further information, please e-mail office-nadakavukaren-ius@unibas.ch by 25 March 2016.

You can read more about the conference under our Blog section and access the conference programme here.

Follow the event on Twitter, official hashtag #databaselconf

*Mckinsey report – February 2016