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techUK responds to joint statement on UK-Brazil International Data Transfer Arrangements

12 November 20262 min read
Policy Views
Digital world map with data overlays and market charts, illustrating global healthcare market opportunities in Africa

The statement confirmed that both nations have identified 'steady progress' in their assessments and have committed to continuing technical engagement over the coming months.

Echoing techUK’s long-standing view, the statement also noted that trusted cross-border data flows play an important role in supporting economic growth, innovation, public service delivery, scientific research and international cooperation.

We continue to encourage the UK Government to maximise the opportunity for wider international data sharing presented by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. This landmark legislation introduced a new 'not materially lower' standard for international data transfers, both departing from the EU’s 'essentially equivalent' requirement and expanding the potential for further adequacy agreements.

We firmly believe that international data transfers are integral to the UK’s security and to its economic growth, which further underpins UK digital trade. As techUK has argued, free data flows are an essential pillar of the digital trading system, which the UK particularly benefits from. 65.6% of UK GDP is derived from external trade. 74.9% of UK services exports are digitally delivered by data flows.

We also note that Brazil is a world leader in Open Finance, with infrastructure powered by the UK-based Raidiam. We hope that wider collaboration with Brazil’s ANPD will help influence the UK’s own work to embed an Open Finance regime. Open Finance Brasil (led by the Central Bank of Brazil) provides a useful example of a relevant and similar regime that was successfully implemented.

Furthermore, Brazil’s existing EU adequacy agreement will make a UK-Brazil arrangement that respects this a positive step towards strengthening the UK and EU’s mutual adequacy status, which underpins over $350 billion a year in digitally deliverable services trade.

techUK has long championed the importance of secure, free-flowing international data flows, as laid out in our major reports: ‘Enabling Growth & Resilience’ and ‘A Blueprint for UK Digital Trade’. We welcome this move towards broadening the UK’s international data sharing, which is an important step forward in our mission to champion secure and trusted data flows internationally.

If you would like to discuss techUK’s work on international data flows further, please reach out to Dani (Daniella.BennettRemington@techUK.org) and Archie (Archie.Breare@techUK.org).