In an ever-more digital and data-driven world, it will become
increasingly important for General Counsel to be able to navigate
the web of digital protectionist laws (laws that prevent the
overseas collaboration that is needed for technology to properly
develop), in much the same way that they have needed to know about
international trade of goods in the past to ensure their business
can trade and develop successfully.
Gowling WLG's Protectionism 2.0 Report shows that legal
barriers are being firmly thrown up by major players on the world
stage - China, Russia, India, Vietnam, Argentina and Turkey - which
will naturally limit and hinder their involvement in the
development of technology. There is also a startling correlation
between countries that pursue digitally protectionist policies and
those that are protectionist in relation to their natural
resources, which include the vital raw materials needed to make
smartphones, connected devices and batteries for electric