The Visegrad Group: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slova…d Group on Mutual Co-operation in Innovation and Digital Affairs 22/09/2022, 08:47 Joint Declaration of Intent of Prime Ministers of the Visegrad Group on Mutual Co-operation in Innovation and Digital Affairs "Warsaw Declaration" adopted at the CEE Innovators Summit in Warsaw on March 28, 2017 We, the Prime Ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries, convening in Warsaw on 28 March 2017, adopt hereby the following Joint Declaration. RECOGNIZING the solid ties of cooperation and friendship between the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic, and the remarkable progress in our relations in various areas reached, among others, thanks to the V4 cooperation; REITERATING the commitment of the V4 countries to provide added value for the reflexion process on the future of the EU in specific areas; RECALLING the Kroměříž Declaration of 12 May 2004 on cooperation of the Visegrad Group countries after their accession to the European Union[1], as well as the recent meetings held within the framework of the Polish Presidency of the Visegrad Group: the meeting of ministers responsible for cohesion policy and the economy of the V4 countries of 14 July 2016 and the meeting of ministers responsible for telecommunications and heads of the National Regulatory Authorities of V4 countries on 6 February 2017, who adopted the common paper on the European Electronic Communications Code; REITERATING the commitments made in the Memorandum of Understanding on a “Regional Start-up Platform” between start-up organizations of the start-up communities and in the Memorandum of Understanding on enterprises in Eastern Central Europe for digitalization and connected and automated driving, signed at the Regional Digital Summit held in Budapest on 17–18 November 2016; EMPHASIZING the necessity of seeking sustainable development through advancing cooperation in the field of modernisation of the V4 national economies with respect to entrepreneurship, research and innovation, digital affairs, implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy, establishing institutions resistant to political and economic crisis, securing safety and adequate standards of living; NOTING that the world economy is rapidly becoming digital and data driven; that growing use of and investment in digital technologies and knowledge-based human capital is profoundly transforming our societies and that innovation is easier when data can flow safely, freely, preserving the credibility and integrity of data across borders; and that the opportunities beyond own borders of the EU should be explored. Adequate protection of personal data shall be secured and the existing and future EU legal framework for the protection of personal data shall not, however, be subject of negotiations of the trade agreements, but rather dealt with separately through other available instruments (e.g. adequacy findings); NOTING that we should include and reflect on national security related exceptions in the current discussions on data localisation while guaranteeing free flow of data; STRESSING that efforts should be made to establish a full-fledged and connected European Digital Single Market in which the free movement of goods, persons, services, personal data and capital is ensured and where individuals and businesses can seamlessly access and exercise online activities under conditions of fair competition, and a high level of consumer and personal data protection, irrespective of their nationality or place of residence; UNDERLINING that advancing our vision relies on the participation of all countries and on joint action to seize the opportunities and tackle the evolving challenges of innovation economies becoming digital and that of reducing market fragmentation. The Visegrad Group agrees to further strengthen its ties by adopting the following Warsaw Declaration on mutual cooperation in research, innovation and digital affairs as follows: promote internationally the Visegrad region as a research and innovation hub, cooperating in areas where mutual interests can be identified; to deepen the existing cooperation in research, technology, innovation and digital affairs, particularly with the use of https://www.visegradgroup.eu/calendar/selected-events-in-2017-170203/joint-declaration-of Page 1 of 2