Washington — The Computer & Communications Industry Association submitted comments to the U.S. Trade Representative ahead of USTR’s annual report on trade barriers affecting U.S.suppliers, exporting to and operating in foreign markets. The National Trade Estimates (NTE) report, to be released in the spring of 2023, provides a country-by-country overview of trade barriers U.S. companies grapple with in key overseas markets.
CCIA’s 2022 filing notes continued narrowly targeting US digital companies with forced revenue transfers and discriminatory regulations. The report also notes the scope of data localization requirements and impediments to cross-border data flows. A summary of the key barriers identified is here.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Vice President for Digital Trade Jonathan McHale:
“Successful firms, particularly those leveraging digital technologies, cannot prosper without access to foreign markets. The prevalence and growth of barriers that CCIA documents will affect firms’ ability to operate, and will negatively impact U.S. jobs and the country’s long-term competitiveness as a nation.
“These barriers include blocking or restricting access to information, hindering cross-border transfers of data, and imposing rules constituting blatant protectionism of domestic companies. This annual report by USTR is an important tool for cataloging the growing range of trade barriers U.S. digital companies are facing and setting priorities for efforts for policy and diplomatic engagement, particularly when involving conflicts with trade commitments.”