CCIA Offers Comments Detailing Methods to Boost North American Competitiveness

Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association provided input with the Office of the United States Trade Representative regarding its request for comments on the “Work of the North American Competitiveness Committee.” 

As part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement, the  North American Competitiveness Committee directs the three countries to meet in order to cooperate on issues relating to regional competitiveness in the context of trade and workforce development. CCIA’s comments focus on the digital trade barriers that restrict trilateral trade flows, removal of which would strengthen regional competitiveness, and therefore should be considered as part of this workstream. 

CCIA has advocated for tech trade issues and tech policy that advances innovation for over 50 years. 

The following can be attributed to CCIA Vice President of Digital Trade Jonathan McHale:

“Open and fair trade in North America plays an important role in shoring up competitiveness with respect to both individual countries and the USMCA Free Trade Area as a whole. As the United States and its allies seek to promote the ideal of the open internet globally and shore up robust regional supply chains, agreements with our closest partners such as USMCA are essential in furthering those goals. The North American Competitiveness Committee should consider the trade barriers in Canada and Mexico that restrict digital exporters’ from receiving the full benefits that are guaranteed to them by USMCA, and impair the value of the trade bloc as a whole.”