JAN 26, 2021 | GLOBAL
Business Letter to WTO E-Commerce Negotiators
Politico, January 26, 2021
By Steven Overly
Trade groups representing a broad swath of industries are calling on the WTO’s member countries to prohibit laws that restrict the flow of data across borders.
They also want to see countries adopt laws that encourage transparency and interoperability while also protecting users’ personal information. The International Chamber of Commerce and BSA | The Software Alliance spearheaded the new letter, and gathered signatures from associations across six continents, representing film, manufacturing, tech, automobiles and more.
“In today’s remote environment, our jobs, health, education, and well-being depend on digital connectivity and data flows like never before,” BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel said in a statement. “We urge governments to negotiate WTO commitments that support the seamless and secure cross-border movement of information.”
The WTO’s negotiations over e-commerce rules began in earnest in 2018. The 80-plus member nations are expected to reveal “concrete results” at the next ministerial meeting, which is scheduled for June but could be delayed until December due to coronavirus.
Original Posting: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2021/01/commerce-nominee-raimondo-faces-the-senate-792985
ABOUT BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the global trade association of the enterprise software industry, representing companies that are leaders in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and other cutting-edge technologies. We work in over 20 markets in the US, Europe, and Asia, advocating for policies that build trust in technology so that every industry sector and the public can benefit from innovation. BSA also supports its members and their customers by raising awareness of the risks of unlicensed software use and the benefits of software asset management, driving license compliance and software adoption around the world through sound IT procurement.