As digital transformation permeates all dimensions of society and the economy, governments and regulators need to combine different regulatory domains with the objective of fostering a fair and sustainable digital ecosystem.
The systemic imperative of working both across regulatory boundaries and national borders is especially visible across areas such as competition, data protection and privacy, online safety and consumer protection. The scope of cooperation is also set to expand with technological developments (such as artificial intelligence – AI) and innovative business models.
The opportunities and challenges of ensuring the effective interplay between different regulatory domains for the digital ecosystem are increasingly reflected in the work of the OECD.
In addition, in June 2023, the International Network for Digital Regulation Cooperation (INDRC) was set up, with the objectives of fostering discussion between regulators on digital matters and of gathering insights into how jurisdictions are approaching domestic regulatory coherence.
In this context, the Working Party on Data Governance and Privacy of the OECD, under the auspices of the OECD Digital Policy Committee, and the INDRC organised a joint workshop to bring together their constituencies, increase awareness on their respective activities, and identify common regulatory challenges, as well as possible synergies and joint work themes for the future.
The agenda below explores how different stakeholders approach digital innovation and the inherent regulatory challenges that come with it. To make room for the various viewpoints, the workshop was structured around four separate discussions. The morning sessions explored business and civil society perspectives on digital and AI regulation, and how closer coordination between regulators can benefit them. The afternoon sessions took stock of recent and ongoing initiatives taken by regulators to foster greater coherence and common understanding around key digital issues which may affect the integrity of the digital ecosystem.
