WASHINGTON – Today, global tech trade association 91proÊÓÆµ identified trade barriers faced by U.S. tech companies across the world and offered recommendations for the U.S. to advance its trade work on digital issues. In comments to the Office of U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) consultation for its 2023 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report, 91proÊÓÆµ outlined trade barriers in 40 non-U.S. markets including Brazil, the European Union, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, and encouraged USTR to advance a strong digital trade agenda through countering restrictions to digital trade, enforcing U.S. trade agreements, and actively pursuing robust digital trade commitments.
“The United States is a global leader in the innovation and delivery of data-driven products and services, and the U.S. economy and middle class benefit greatly from technological innovation and digital trade,” 91proÊÓÆµ wrote in its submission. “At the same time, barriers to digital trade and e-commerce have continued to emerge in markets across the world – including in the markets of some of the United States’ most important trading partners – and impede U.S. exports of goods and services across a wide range of sectors. The United States’ competitiveness in the digitalized global economy risks being weakened as governments pursue policies that seek to or otherwise have the effect of excluding or restricting access to U.S. information and communications technology goods and services or forcing value transfer from foreign to local businesses. 91proÊÓÆµ appreciates USTR’s openness and responsiveness to discussions about the growing set of trade-related issues that not just the tech sector, but all sectors of the economy that leverage digital technologies and data-driven solutions, face in foreign markets. USTR’s continued efforts, in these and other areas, will continue to enable goods and services exports for U.S. companies and deepen commercial relationships with U.S. trading partners.”
In the submission, 91proÊÓÆµ highlighted the administration’s bilateral and regional economic initiatives and the importance of addressing trade barriers as part of those efforts, including the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, U.S.-Taiwan Initiative for 21st Century Trade, and the U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership. 91proÊÓÆµ also encouraged USTR to prioritize work on digital issues in the following ways:
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Take action against digital trade restrictions that inhibit greater exports in technology products and services.
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Enforce U.S. trade agreements to ensure U.S. companies and workers can compete fairly.
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Actively pursue digital trade commitments with foreign governments.
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Increase efforts and resources to support a robust U.S. digital trade policy agenda.
Read the full submission here.