Data portability, first introduced by the EU GDPR as a mandatory privacy and data protection right(2), is a key tool for enhancing access to and sharing of data across digital services and platforms. It supports users in having a more active role in the re-use of their data and increases interoperability between digital services and platforms which enhances competition by reducing switching costs and lock-in effects.

The OECD has been actively working on data portability since its 2015 report on “Data-Driven Innovation” after which it continued focussing on this theme through the activities of its Working Party on Data Governance and Privacy (WPDGP) and its Competition Committee. In recent years, the OECD has published several reports and engaged in various activities to support countries in developing coherent policies, legal frameworks, and practices in this space.