EU-Asia Digital Connectivity | AESCON Policy Brief series

These Policy Briefs are one of a series that launched from the Asia–Europe Sustainable Connectivity (AESCON) conference held from 22–24 March 2022.

AESCON was funded by the European Union, supported by the Asia–Europe Meeting, and organized by a consortium of think tanks in Europe and Asia, consisting of the Clingendael Institute (The Hague), the Kosciuszko Institute (Kraków), Carnegie India (New Delhi), GIZ (Bonn), and the Institute for South Asian Studies (ISAS/NUS, Singapore). For details about the conference and videos of the various panel discussions, see their website.

The five Policy Briefs present the main findings and policy recommendations of the various AESCON panels. The series is edited by Maaike Okano-Heijmans and Brigitte Dekker of the Clingendael Institute, and includes the following pieces:

1. Multistakeholderism: the path to human-centred digital connectivity
   By Maaike Okano-Heijmans and Vanshika Shah of the Clingendael Institute, The Hague
2. Secure and resilient digital infrastructure: an agenda for Europe and Asia-Pacific                                                                                            By Michał Rekowski of the Kosciuszko Institute, Kraków
3. Putting trust back in trusted connectivity: a call for more congruence in cross-border data transfers
   By Priyadarshini D of Carnegie India, New Delhi
4. Digital connectivity and opportunities for development cooperation between Asia and Europe
   By Fabian Hohmann, Christina Stansell, and Elisabeth Gager of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Bonn, by GIZ, Bonn
5. Linking digital trajectories: Asia’s and Europe’s opportunities in the digital economy
   By Karthik Nachiappan of the Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore

Policy Brief #1

Multistakeholderism: The path to human-centred digital connectivity

The so-called ‘multistakeholder approach’ is increasingly being promoted by many likeminded governments that aim to foster secure and sustainable digital connectivity. With a focus on Europe and Asia, this AESCON Policy Brief assesses how such an approach can facilitate inclusivity, greater interoperability between regions and trust between the key stakeholders.

Closer engagement by the public sector, private sector and the people at all stages – from the early phase of technological development to the use of technologies by final consumers – is needed to promote a human-centred approach to digital connectivity, to which the EU and many Asian countries aspire. The level of empowerment – in particular of the private sector and people categories – differs greatly between multistakeholder initiatives. The main aim should be for a higher degree of decision-making power, along with open consultations and consensus-building in institutions, projects and regulatory processes.

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Policy Brief #2

Secure and resilient digital infrastructure: an agenda for Europe and Asia

Digital connectivity serves as the foundation for the modern world, promising benefits of digital transformation in almost every aspect of social and individual life. However, the digital infrastructure underpinning digital connectivity is faced with a growing number of risks and challenges, from cyber-attacks to advancing geopolitical competition that is increasingly centred on technology and infrastructure. To reap fully the benefits of digital transformation, governments need to invest in trusted digital infrastructure that is both resilient and secure.

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Policy Brief #3

Putting trust back in trusted connectivity: a call for more congruence in cross-border data transfers

The socio-economic benefits of cross-border data connectivity are significant. A fragmented regulatory landscape driven by lack of trust is, however, a crucial barrier. As leading trade partners and champions of digital connectivity, the EU and Asia could gain considerably by bridging the trust deficit and fragmentation to create one of the world’s largest regions for seamless data flows.

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Policy Brief #4

Digital connectivity and opportunities for development cooperation between Asia and Europe

Tackling the digital divides including in digital connectivity itself – which often mirror offline divides and inequalities but can end up magnifying and entrenching them – takes on increasing importance and urgency. The Asia–Pacific region is a particularly interesting case in which to consider the importance and complexity of this issue.

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Policy Brief #5

Linking digital trajectories: Asia’s and Europe’s digital futures

This AESCON Policy Brief surveys and maps the digital economy opportunities that exist for European countries in Asia and vice versa. Despite market access constraints, divergent digital laws and regulations, and varying industrial structures, European regulators, companies and venture capital firms (VCs) can propel Asia’s digitalizing spree, particularly in areas like e-commerce and fintech, through investments, sharing regulatory experiences and technical knowhow.

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These Policy Briefs present the key findings of the high-level Opening Session and Closing Panel of AESCON2.

Watch opening panel:

Watch closing panel:

Stay tuned for the rest of the policy briefs of this series.