By adopting the International Finance concept of Mundell-Fleming Impossible Trilemma, this study reviews at the debates around the cross-border data revolving around the potential trade-offs between data mobility, personal privacy and security, and data monetization, or as we call it the ‘Cross-border Dataflow Trilemma’.

To attain the full benefits of the digitalized economy objectives amidst the trilemma, we propose four measures for the G20 economies: Open & Inclusive National Data Strategy; Interoperability Strategy; Global Cooperation in Expanding Consumer Choices and Benefits; and Minimum Trade Distortion by limiting Cross-Border Data Flows Distortions.

This paper is relevant for the G20 group of economies with vast differences in the digital technological development stages and landscapes. While the G20 major and developed economies are the homes/origins of the big-tech firms, the G20 developing economies have huge digital market potential to be further developed.

*/The original version of the draft has been submitted and accepted as a Policy Brief for the T-20 (Think-Tank for G-20 Meeting) of 2022