European Union: Signed EU-Japan Protocol amending the Agreement for an Economic Partnership regarding the free flow of data

On 31 January 2024, the Belgian Presidency of the Council signed the Protocol amending the Agreement for an Economic Partnership to include provisions regarding the free flow of data. The Protocol aims to provide greater legal certainty, ensuring that data flows between the EU and Japan will not be hampered by unjustified data localisation measures. It also ensures the benefit from the free flow of data according to the European Union and Japan’s rules on data protection and the digital economy. The Council also decided to send the decision to ratify the Protocol to the Parliament for its approval. Once Japan has ratified the Agreement and the two sides have notified each other about the completion of their internal procedures, it can enter into force.