European Union: EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement including prohibition of data localisation requirements

On 1 February 2026, the European Union-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) entered into force. Article 5 prohibits either party from requiring that data be stored, processed, or transmitted using computing facilities located within its territory. This includes bans on localisation requirements as a condition for doing business, or mandates favouring domestic infrastructure. The DTA allows for exceptions only when such measures are necessary to achieve legitimate public policy objectives and are applied in a non-discriminatory and proportionate manner.