To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: On 22 January 2021 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Digital Ministers' Meeting approved the ASEAN Data Management Framework (the DMF) and the Model Contractual Clauses for Cross Border Data Flows (the MCCs). The DMF initiative, led by Singapore, has the objective of developing a regional policy framework for data protection in the ASEAN economy, with a particular focus on the internet, a growth sector for ASEAN that is expected to exceed US$240 billion by 2025. It is clear that the DMF has its primary policy focus on economic development, as was the case with the 2004 APEC Data Privacy Framework, the 2016 ASEAN Framework on Personal Data Protection, and other regional data protection initiatives. The introductory section of the DMF notes expectations that much of ASEAN's projected economic growth will be driven by new and innovative business models and technologies that involve extensive sharing of personal data.