This blog is adapted from an Information Technology Industry Council press release available here.
Recently, a coalition of tech industry and business associations, many of which eBay is a member, urged the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize strategic international engagement and open, rules-based digital trade as a means of promoting U.S. economic leadership and innovation. In their recommendations, the groups identified a set of specific, early actions the administration can take to maximize the benefits of technology and digital trade for economic growth and inclusivity, job creation, and addressing pressing societal challenges. They highlighted the need for these actions to address recent policy approaches taken by key U.S. trading partners that promote digital protectionism and harm U.S. exports and the entire innovation ecosystem.
The Information Technology Industry Council, BSA | The Software Alliance, Internet Association, Computer and Communications Industry Association, and the National Foreign Trade Council developed the recommendations. The groups recommend that the Biden-Harris Administration:
- Prioritize strategic engagement with U.S. trading partners by ensuring continued protected transatlantic data flows, establishing a U.S.-EU Trade & Technology Council, engaging China through prioritization of digital and technology issues, broadening U.S. engagement and leadership in the Asia-Pacific region, addressing key barriers to digital trade with India, and providing capacity building assistance to the African Union;
- Promote U.S. competitiveness through leadership on digital trade by countering unilateral, targeted digital taxes, building acceptance of state-of-the-art digital trade commitments, promoting workforce development initiatives globally, and more; and
- Reassert U.S. multilateral leadership by strengthening and leveraging engagement in global fora such as the WTO, OECD, United Nations, G20, G7, APEC, and others, and by expanding existing plurilateral trade agreements.
eBay continues to support policies that reduce barriers to trade and help small businesses access consumers around the globe.
Read the full letter here.