The OECD promotes respect for privacy as a fundamental value and a critical condition for the free flow of personal data across borders. The OECD Privacy Guidelines are the first internationally agreed-upon set of principles and have inspired data protection frameworks around the globe. 

Privacy can enhance trust around the collection and use of data and facilitate data sharing and the generation of economic and social value. International co-operation is key to ensure effective enforcement, innovative responses to data governance challenges, and trustworthy and privacy-enhancing AI.

Data is everywhere in today's economies and societies. When governments act on digital policies, they need to consider privacy and data protection as a matter of priority. Effective protection of people's personal data helps to improve trust in the digital environment. 

Sectoral regulations need to be consistent with high levels of privacy and data protection. The OECD works to improve cross-sectoral regulatory co-operation on privacy and data protection, especially regarding competition, health, banking, finance, and payments.

PETs serve as crucial advanced tools for enabling collection, analysis and sharing of information while protecting data confidentiality and privacy. They do not replace existing legal frameworks but rather support and enhance the implementation of privacy protection principles. However, their effectiveness is still contingent upon overcoming some regulatory, technical, and adoption hurdles. 

Critical to their success is the need for clear guidance and efforts to bridge knowledge gaps. Additionally, PETs' role in facilitating cross-border data flows with trust warrants further exploration of their potential and limitations. Beyond privacy, PETs are also key in fostering trust for collaborations by protecting intellectual property rights and fostering digital security.

Governments need to access personal data held by the private sector for national security and law enforcement purposes. However, such access cannot be unconstrained or unreasonable. 

The Declaration on Government Access to Personal Data Held by Private Sector Entities adopted by OECD Members and the European Union in 2022 embodies the commonality in safeguards put in place by countries. The Declaration helps to ensure that government access is in accordance with democratic values, safeguards for privacy and other human rights and freedoms, and the rule of law.