WASHINGTON - January 25, 2019 –In a letter released today, BSA | The Software Alliance joined 54 other industry and stakeholder associations in welcoming today’s announcement by 76 WTO members committing to work towards a “high-standard outcome” in future negotiations on global rules governing digital trade and electronic commerce. This WTO initiative reflects a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set global rules on data and the digital economy. BSA strongly supports this initiative. Open data policies facilitate the development and deployment of technology, enhance productivity, and are critical to economic development. To ensure that local industries have access to best-in-class software technologies and services, open and innovative economies are already entering international agreements and harmonizing their laws to encourage the free movement of data across borders and to prohibit localization mandates. To date, dozens of countries – across the globe and at all levels of development – have made, or are negotiating, such commitments under bilateral and regional agreements. The WTO must not fall behind the global trend.