The Pacific Alliance Blog interviewed Professor Rodrigo Corredor about his recent article on the Pacific Alliance and its digital economy strategy, published in the Colombian Yearbook of International Law.

Mr Corredor is professor and researcher at Universidad Externado de Colombia in Bogota. He holds a Masters in International Economic Law from the World Trade Institute. He has postgraduates in Intellectual Property, Copyrights and New Technologies from Universidad Externado de Colombia and a postgraduate in Public Management and Administrative Institutions from Los Andes University in Bogota. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Centre de Sciences Humaines in New Delhi and a researcher and professors at the Department of Economic Law within Universidad Externado de Colombia. He has previously consulted on managing intellectual property and innovation for projects involving the Andean region and the European Union. His research interests are international economic law, intellectual property, the digital economy, trade in services, and regulation. He has written several journal articles and chapters in edited books on these subjects.

Mr Corredor, how did you become interested in the digital economy topic, particularly in the context of the Pacific Alliance?

The digital economy has become a ubiquitous societal topic. Its international trade incidence is undeniable; the impacts of the current uncontrolled developments and expansion of the digital economy will probably be our research field for the coming years. In the specific context of the PA, the digital economy’s regulatory challenge has followed the same path of a regulatory transplant from the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU (GDPR standards), so my concern is to assess the suitability of such approaches.

What are the main social and economic challenges you see in the deepening of the region’s digital economy?

Among the various challenges, I would like to emphasise the cultural impact of digitalisation. So far, people are enjoying the advantages of the digital platforms in terms of a more even access to cultural products that gives us a sense of integration to a globalised cultural agenda. However, the long-term consequences of unlimited access to our personal data can extend to a cultural erosion phenomenon. This effect is something that regulators and political authorities from the PA countries absolutely disregard.

Why do you argue that following a model inspired by the United States’ FTAs and self-regulation results unsuitable for framing sustainable solutions to the complex challenges of deepening the digital economy in the region?

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Abstract:
Countries of the Pacific Alliance (PA) share a common interest in the development of a regional regulatory framework that can give impetus to the dynamism of the embryonic digital economy in the region. The trend towards the progressive implementation of new and stricter rules on e-commerce fosters increments in foreign investment and generation of spill-over effects. However, the preference for the models inspired by the FTAS negotiated by the United States, as well as an inclination for self-regulation schemes, reflect the dominant role of the private sector in the negotiations within the PA. This scenario raises essential doubts about the institutional model of the Alliance and its suitability to frame sustainable solutions to the complex social and economic consequences derived from the deepening of the digital economy.

Resumen:
Los países de la Alianza del Pacífico (AP) comparten un interés común en el desarrollo de un marco regulatorio regional que les permita estimular la todavía embrionaria economía digital en la región. La tendencia hacia una implementación progresiva de nuevas y más estrictas reglas en materia de comercio electrónico parece ser el eje para el fomento de mayor inversión extranjera en el sector. Sin embargo, la preferencia por los modelos inspirados en los TLC negociados por Estados Unidos, así como una inclinación por los esquemas de autorregulación, reflejan el papel dominante del sector privado en las negociaciones dentro de la AP.

Este escenario plantea serias dudas sobre el modelo institucional de la AP y su idoneidad para enmarcar soluciones sostenibles a las complejas consecuencias sociales y económicas resultantes de la expansión de la economía digital.

Resumo:
Os países da Aliança do Pacífico (ap) compartilham um interesse comum no desenvolvimento de um marco regulatório regional que lhes permita estimular a, ainda embrionária, economia digital na região. A tendência para uma implementação progressiva de novas e mais rigorosas regras em matéria de comércio eletrônico parece ser o eixo para o fomento de maior investimento estrangeiro no setor. No entanto, a preferência pelos modelos inspirados nos TLC negociados pelos Estados Unidos, assim como uma clara predileção pelos esquemas de autorregulação, refletem o papel dominante do setor privado nas negociações dentro da AP. Este cenário apresenta sérias dúvidas sobre o modelo institucional da Aliança e sua idoneidade para enquadrar soluções sustentáveis às complexas consequências sociais e económicas resultantes da expansão da economia digital.

Author: Guillermo Rodrigo Corredor C
Full document: 2020, Corredor, The Pacific Alliance Towards a Strategy on Digital Economy?