BRUSSELS – 22 June 2018 – COCIR applauds the political agreement creating a new framework for rules that abolish unjustified restrictions on the free flow of non-personal data being stored and processed anywhere in the EU. These rules, agreed earlier this week by the European Parliament, Council and the European Commission, are a consequence of the proposed Regulation for a framework for the free flow of non-personal data within the EU. This represents an important advance in ensuring that patients and healthcare systems can fully benefit from cross-border care. 

 

This agreement goes a long way to addressing industry concerns; the sector increasingly relies on the free flow of non-personal data across EU borders to provide the true economies of scale needed for innovation. It also reflects many of the realities of modern healthcare technologies. Keeping equipment updated frequently relies on the capacity of appropriately-skilled, but often decentralised, support staff to be able to connect and access equipment across borders and jurisdictions. In addition, for the large number of SMEs involved in providing digital health solutions and applications, these rules provide them with greater certainty on data storage, particularly cloud-based solutions.

 

Nicole Denjoy, COCIR Secretary General, said; “This agreement is a positive development, one that will allow patients and healthcare systems to benefit from the advantages offered by big data analysis. The fact that these rules are designed to complement, rather than conflict with the GDPR, is very welcome. This agreement will help our industry bring these benefits to those that need them more quickly.” 

 

The new rules reflect the importance of the free flow of data in developing the EU’s digital economy and in establishing the Digital Single Market. They will establish a framework for storing and processing data across the EU that prohibits data localisation.

 

For more information, contact:

 

Nicole Denjoy 

COCIR Secretary General        

Tel: +32 (0)2 706 8961

 

Colin Mackay

COCIR Communications Senior Advisor

Tel: +32 (0) 473 43 07 52