SINGAPORE - To strengthen digital connectivity and inter-operability, Singapore and Europe have agreed to accelerate steps towards a digital partnership on Monday (Feb 14), a step further from previous talks in December to boost bilateral digital trade.
In a video call on Monday, Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations S. Iswaran and EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton agreed to commence discussion on the digital partnership to expand bilateral digital cooperation and trade as like-minded partners.
Technical workshops will be launched soon to scope the content and process of the digital partnership, in order to work towards an agreement this year.
In a joint statement on Monday, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said a digital partnership agreement will advance cooperation on "the full spectrum of digital issues", which include digital economy and trade issues.
Such issues may be secure and sustainable digital infrastructure, trusted data flows and data innovation, digital regulations, the development of digital skills for workers, and the digital transformation of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and of public services, said the MTI statement.
The partnership will also build more resilient supply chains, support innovation and facilitate business opportunities for start-ups and SMEs.
It will also pave the way in new and emerging areas with transformative economic potential such as 5G and 6G, artificial intelligence or digital identities, said the MTI statement.
Mr Iswaran and Mr Breton had stressed that the digital partnership should be a "flexible structure that goes beyond dialogue and exchange of information" and should reinforce the business and trade links between both sides to maximise benefits of the digital economy, noted the MTI statement.
Once the digital partnership has been signed, an annual ministerial meeting led by both Mr Iswaran and Mr Breton will be convened, said MTI.
The two had also discussed potential for cooperation amid the global supply challenges in the semiconductor industry and will further explore the issue in a technical workshop.
Singapore has so far negotiated the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement with Chile and New Zealand, and the Singapore-Australia Digital Economy Agreement, both of which were signed in 2020.
It has also concluded negotiations on digital economy agreements with South Korea and Britain.
