Measuring Cross-Border Data Flows: Unmet Data Needs

Department of Commerce
May 9, 2016
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/commerce_cross-border_da...

Agenda

8:30-8:40 a.m. Greeting and Overview of Roundtable: Jessica Nicholson, Economist (ESA) and Giulia McHenry, Chief Economist (NTIA)

8:40-8:55 a.m. Opening Remarks: Commerce’s Role in Supporting an Open Internet and the Free Flow of Cross-Border Data: Alan Davidson, Director of Digital Economy for the Department of Commerce (NTIA)

Opening Remarks: 21st Century Economic Measurement: Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, Chief Economist for the Department of Commerce (ESA)

8:55-9:00 a.m. Types of cross-border data flows and restrictions: Jessica Nicholson

9:00-9:10 a.m. Questions to consider when measuring cross-border data flows: Giulia McHenry

9:10-9:35 a.m. Existing Government statistics related to data flows

a. E-commerce data (5 minutes): Scott Scheleur, Assistant Division Chief, Retail & Wholesale Indicators Program (Census)
b. Trade in services data (5 minutes): Alexis Grimm, Economist, Balance of Payments Division, Methodology and Special Studies Branch (BEA)
c. USITC digital trade studies (10 minutes): Martha Lawless, Chief, Services Division, Office of Industries (USITC)

Other sources – non-government and one-off studies (5 minutes): Jessica Nicholson

9:35-10:15 a.m. BREAK-OUT DISCUSSION 1

a. What are the key questions we need to answer about the domestic macro economy? And why do we need to know?
b. What are the strengths of the currently available data?
c. Where do the currently available data fall short?

10:15-10:25 a.m. BREAK-OUT DISCUSSION 1 RECAP

10:25-10:40 a.m. BREAK

10:40-10:50 a.m. What do we know about cross-border data flows at the firm level? Giulia McHenry

10:50-11:20 a.m. BREAK-OUT DISCUSSION 2

a. What are the key questions we need to answer about firm level cross-border data flows? And why do we need to know? Areas to consider:

1. How businesses use cross border data: inter-firm flows (transactional)
2. How businesses use cross border data: intra-firm flows (commercial data and services)
3. Impact of restrictions of cross-border data flows

b. What are the strengths of the currently available data?
c. Where do current data sources fall short?

11:20-11:30 a.m. BREAK-OUT DISCUSSION 2 RECAP

11:30-11:45 OVERVIEW AND DISCUSSION – Jessica Nicholson

a. What is currently available?
b. Working groups overview
c. What do we want to know?

11:45-12:00 LOOKING AHEAD - priorities, feasibility, implementation. Final comments: Giulia McHenry

12:00 ADJOURNMENT