RCEP跨境數據流動例外條款適用研究

Research on the Application of Exception Clauses for Cross-border Data Flows under RCEP

數據流動與安全已成為當前數字經濟的核心議題。考慮到成員國的數字經濟發展水平和歷史文化差異，RCEP在跨境數據治理方面特設三類例外條款保護不發達國家的數字經濟發展權。由於數字時代的國際背景、成員國的國內需求以及RCEP文本協調統一的必然性，例外條款過分強調成員國的數據主權，在法律適用上十分模糊，無法構建有效的數據區域治理機制。本文認為，需借鑒歐美數據監管模式經驗，對例外條款的具體適用進行明晰，包括兩個層次：RCEP例外條款的法律文本明晰與區域協調機制的完善。法律文本明晰包含分別對特定例外條款與安全例外條款進行概念與適用的釐清及數據治理中國方案的整體性明晰。區域協調機制的完善囊括構建數據聯合論壇和優化爭端解決機制兩個層面。

Data flow and security have emerged as pivotal issues in the digital economy today. Given the varied levels of digital economic development and historical-cultural differences among member states, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes three types of exception clauses to safeguard the rights of less developed countries in digital economic growth. Owing to the international context of the digital era, the domestic needs of the members, and the necessity for coherence in the RCEP text, these exception clauses overly emphasize the data sovereignty of member states and introduce significant ambiguity in legal application, thereby hindering the establishment of an effective regional data governance framework. This paper proposes that insights from European and American data regulation models be adapted to clarify the specific application of these exception clauses. This involves two main aspects: elucidation of the legal texts concerning specific and security-related exception clauses, and enhancement of regional coordination mechanisms. The latter includes establishing a joint data forum and optimizing the dispute resolution mechanisms.