A European Compass for Transporting Personal Data on the New Silk Road

Abstract

The New Silk Road initiative offers unique opportunities for setting up Sino–European collaborations in higher education and research. Academic cooperation between countries that are rooted in different legal, cultural, and academic backgrounds might, however, also create challenges. Although the European Union is strongly promoting Open Science and—within that framework—open and fair data, it is clear that Open Science is only possible in an open society, in which fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals are protected. In this light, the chapter investigates the implications of the European personal data protection rules (GDPR) for Sino–European collaborations. To what extent are free flows of personal data possible on the New Silk Road? It concludes that the current differences between both regimes create considerable obstacles on the Road. The chapter explores the necessary restrictions, technological solutions, and legal arrangements that might be helpful in facilitating collaborations that comply with the European rules.