Data Strategy Briefing — April 28, 2021

Executive briefing: On 28 April 2021 G7 Digital and Technology Ministers adopted a declaration committing members to Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT), interoperable technical standards, and resilient digital infrastructure, signalling governance expectations for companies operating across G7 markets.^{G7 declaration}

Key governance checkpoints

Trusted data flows. Ensure transfer impact assessments, contractual safeguards, and certification schemes align with the DFFT principles endorsed by the ministers.
Interoperability. Map critical data standards referenced in the declaration, including open government data assets, digital identity frameworks, and privacy-enhancing technologies.
Supply chain transparency. Extend data governance to cloud, semiconductor, and telecom suppliers, evidencing risk management demanded in the resilience commitments.

Operational priorities

Policy watch. Track forthcoming G7 Roadmaps on DFFT to anticipate updates on certification mechanisms, regulatory cooperation, and SMEs.
Stakeholder engagement. Participate in multistakeholder fora highlighted by the ministers, such as the OECD and Global Partnership on AI, to influence emerging data governance standards.
Evidence packs. Build documentation that shows how data transfers, localisation exemptions, and privacy controls meet G7-aligned expectations for trustworthy handling.

Enablement moves

Benchmark corporate policies against the declaration’s annex on DFFT priorities, identifying gaps in transparency and redress mechanisms.
Update incident response and continuity plans to reflect the ministers’ focus on secure digital infrastructure and cross-border interoperability.
Coordinate with legal teams on aligning contractual language to international cooperation instruments referenced in the declaration.

Sources

Zeph Tech guides multinational teams in translating G7 DFFT commitments into contractual, technical, and oversight controls across their data supply chains.