WASHINGTON – May 5, 2020 – BSA | The Software Alliance welcomes today’s launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the United Kingdom and the United States. The UK-US FTA negotiations present an opportunity to set a new bilateral standard for digital trade disciplines that foster innovation, emerging technologies, and the jobs of the future. Software powers the economies of the United Kingdom and the United States, supporting over 17 million jobs in both countries combined.

“The UK-US FTA negotiations present a historic opportunity for both countries to build their resilience and competitiveness in a shifting and dynamic global economic environment,” said Joseph Whitlock, Director, Policy at BSA | The Software Alliance. “BSA encourages both countries to negotiate a gold standard agreement that reflects both countries’ shared commitment to openness, free trade, and technological innovation.”

The UK-US FTA should build upon the digital trade provisions in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the US-Japan Digital Trade Agreement, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CP-TPP). Please see these links for BSA’s full comments to the US government, and to the UK government on the UK-US trade agreement.