Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association joined 19 organizations in sending a letter to encourage the participating countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) negotiations to obtain commitments to building strong trade agreements that support the cross-border access to technology and the free flow of information between nations.
The JSI negotiations represent an important opportunity for nations to advance global economic priorities through a robust digital trade agreement that supports and enhances cross-border business operations. The organizations particularly commended Australia, Japan and Singapore for their leadership in negotiations while expressing disappointment in the U.S. Trade Representative’s recent decision to withdraw support for key digital trade proposals.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has advocated for digital trade rules that strengthen the global economy for over 50 years.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Vice President of Digital Trade Jonathan McHale:
“In 2019, 76 WTO Members – including the United States – came together to commence these negotiations with a goal to demonstrate that the WTO could remain relevant in the digital age. They sought to ‘seek to achieve a high standard outcome that builds on existing WTO agreements and frameworks.’ That goal remains important, now more urgently than ever. For the United States to step back with no clear vision of how trade rules can harness the benefits of digital trade is both confounding and a lost opportunity.”