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Data Sovereignty

What is Data Sovereignty?

The concept that data is subject to the laws and governance structures of the country in which it is collected, stored, or processed.

Privacy and Data Protection

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as data sovereignty. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on data sovereignty

Requirements naming data sovereignty across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Data sovereignty and cross-border movement of sensitive data are recorded, auditable and controlled in accordance with defined policy.

CDMC-KC4 · Data Sovereignty and Cross-Border Movement

Sets the principle of data transfer (Art.18), the required level of protection in third parties (Art.19), conditions for cross-border transfer (Art.20), safeguards prior to cross-border transfer (Art.21) and data sovereignty considerations (Art.22).

ETH-PDPP-Art.18-22 · Cross-border transfer and data sovereignty

Agencies must ensure government data stored in cloud environments meets data residency and sovereignty requirements.

IM8-CLD.4 · Cloud Data Sovereignty

Per CSAP: domestic data storage + sovereignty per Korean law + restrictions on cross-border.

KRCSAP-3 · Data Sovereignty, Domestic Storage

Questions people ask about data sovereignty

What is Data Sovereignty?
The concept that data is subject to the laws and governance structures of the country in which it is collected, stored, or processed.
Why is Data Sovereignty important for compliance?
Data Sovereignty is a key concept in Privacy and Data Protection. Understanding data sovereignty helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Data Sovereignty?
Data Sovereignty appears in the requirement text of Kazakhstan Law on Personal Data and Their Protection (No. 94-V), EDM Council CDMC - Cloud Data Management Capability Framework, Ethiopia Personal Data Protection Proclamation (No. 1321/2024), Japan FSA Cybersecurity Guidelines for Financial Institutions, Singapore Government Instruction Manual on ICT&SS Management (IM8). Across these standards we have identified 7 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Data Sovereignty?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how data sovereignty applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Data Sovereignty applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.