Washington – Ahead of President Biden’s upcoming visit with European Commission President von der Leyen, the Computer & Communications Industry Association has joined eight other trade associations in sending a letter to the Administration urging them to address the EU’s discriminatory digital regulatory agenda.
The U.S. and EU are set to discuss elements of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), where the EU has expressed concerns on the IRA’s impact on European manufacturers. Industry urges the Administration to also address the EU’s discriminatory measures against U.S. technology firms with the same level of urgency. The EU is in the process of implementing regulations, including the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. It is also set to take up a new raft of measures in upcoming months that could further close off the market, such as a cloud certification scheme and adoption of a network usage fee, both of which target U.S. suppliers.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Vice President of Digital Trade Jonathan McHale:
“Increased bilateral engagement and fora like the Trade & Technology Council are welcomed platforms for parties to discuss shared approaches and cooperation on key issues, but should also allow for frank discussions on trade irritants for their respective industries.
“The EU is not shy about using these fora to defend its commercial interests, and we would urge the United States to do likewise. It would be unfortunate for this to be a one-sided conversation, absent U.S. pushback against a clear regulatory agenda that seeks to discriminate against U.S. firms.”