ICT Industry Recommendations for Regulatory Cooperation in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

As the digital economy and digital trade become fundamental elements of the global economy, provisions to support the development and growth of and trade in ICT goods and services, cloud computing, and e-commerce are critical elements of 21st century trade agreements. A key priority for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry is for the T-TIP to build upon commitments made in previous trade agreements that promote the growth of these key aspects of the digital economy, including ensuring that the digital ecosystem and the data that flows through it remain open to innovation and commerce globally. The T-TIP should also strive to sustain and enhance cooperation on the protection of intellectual property rights and create a climate in which innovators are encouraged to invest in the research, development, and commercialization of leading-edge technologies, and promote the dissemination of technologies and services. Another priority for our industry, and the focus of this paper, is for the T-TIP to include provisions that reduce excessive regulatory costs, unjustified regulatory differences, and duplicative or unnecessary red tape for ICT products.