Global Governance for the Digital Ecosystems

Whilst digital innovation is accelerating and the digital economy is growing dramatically, geopolitical frictions and the reassertion of States’ control on cyberspace are changing the landscape of digital regulation, governance and the globalisation process. Strong forces are pushing the global digital economy towards deeper convergence and, at the same time, as illustrated by the US/China technological decoupling, towards segmentation into divergent sub-parts. The outcome of the tension between convergence and segmentation of the digital economy will have a decisive influence on the future of the global economy.

With a view to coming up with a set of policy recommendations focusing on the features of a global governance system that would efficiently address and respond to the above challenges, CERRE is publishing the report of a one-year-long strategic initiative on “Global Governance for the Digital Ecosystems”.

This new initiative has been co-led by Pascal Lamy, President of the Paris Peace Forum, former Director of the World Trade Organisation, and member of the Board of CERRE, and Bruno Liebhaberg, founder and Director General of CERRE.

It has involved some 30 top-level contributors, including not only some of the CERRE academic principals, but also other first-class experts from Europe, the United States, China, and other countries.

In line with CERRE’s bylaws and with its Guidelines on Transparency and Independence, the research team has worked with full academic independence.

Focusing on online platforms, data, infrastructure and digital trade, the authors argue that the general objective for the global governance of digital ecosystems should be to promote convergence as much as possible – to reap the benefits of economies of scale and ensure a level playing field – and organise co-existence – when divergences are legitimate and unavoidable.

For Lamy and Liebhaberg, “globalisation with firewalls would neither benefit the digital economy, nor citizens” and “global, well-regulated, and dense exchanges of data flows and digital technology are crucial”.

The report provides a series of recommendations organised around four policy objectives for optimal global governance: efficiency, compatibility, resilience, and coherence. These recommendations include the establishment of a Digital Stability Board (DSB) by the G20 to which the Board would be reporting. Gathering representatives from governments, regulators, industry, think tanks and relevant non-governmental organisations, it would identify and monitor business practices as well as technological and regulatory developments, and outline policy priorities and options.

The authors acknowledge that their recommendations are not exhaustive and that other actions will certainly be needed as well. They are convinced, however, that provided their recommendations are properly implemented, the proposed measures will constitute important steps towards a new digital order.