Paris hosted last 21-22 November the 80th meeting of the OECD’s CDEP. Portugal was represented by the Foundation for Science and Technology and by ANACOM.
The Going Digital transversal project on digitalisation of the economy, led by the Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), continues at a good pace. Reports were produced, among others, on blockchain and on the role of regulatory sandboxes (regulation test environment) to promote flexibility and innovation in the digital era.
Another highlight was the Going Digital Toolkit application, which provides countries with data on respective digital development and suggests approach responses and policy strategies. Another subject included in the Going Digital project concerns artificial intelligence (AI); the Secretariat presented the draft practical guidelines for implementing the recommendation on AI, the aim being to integrate/feed the pertinent sections in the Policy Observatory regarding AI, which will be launched in early 2020. The Committee also approved forwarding to the Council the report on progress in drawing up the practical guidelines for implementing the recommendation on AI. The Committee took note of the report on creating an advisory network on AI, comprising 60 to 80 experts, which would work with the CDEP, particularly at the level of analytic control, identifying possible trends or new challenges and responding to specific questions posed by that Committee.
Regarding the 2020 edition of the Digital Economy Outlook (DEO), the aim is for a preliminary version to be available for members on 30 March 2020 so it can be declassified at the next CDEP meeting ahead of its official launch in September/October 2020.
The meeting’s agenda also considered matters such as the working programme and budget for 2021-2022, data portability, terrorism and violent extremism online, as well as competition in electronic platforms.
The members of the Bureau of the Committee were also appointed, namely the respective chair Yoichi Iida (Japan) and the 10 vice-chairs: Adam Murray (United States), Alex Nicholson (United Kingdom), András Hlács (Hungary), Chungwon Lee (Korea), Daniela Battisti (Italy), Jens Mundhenke (Germany), Lars Bønløkke Lê (Denmark), Mario Germán Fromow Rangel (Mexico), Silvia Viceconte (EC) and Thomas Schneider (Switzerland).
The next meeting of the CDEP will be held in Paris. The 81st and 82nd CDEP meetings have been provisionally scheduled for 23-24 April and 19-20 November 2020.
