Washington – With Europe and other trading partners passing or considering regulations that violate US trade agreements and international copyright norms, the Computer & Communications Industry Association offered examples Thursday to USTR and asked trade officials to note and fight these trade barriers.
CCIA told USTR that US tech companies are facing barriers from countries that impose liability on Internet companies for the actions of their users. Other barriers come from countries in the EU levying so-called “snippet taxes” when search engines respond to user inquiries by offering hyperlinks and a short bit of information.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has advocated against protectionist IP policies for more than 25 years. The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:
“As USTR notes, problematic intellectual property laws around the world, it makes sense to monitor when our trading partners pass laws that would unfairly increase the liabilities for companies that offer sites and services that allow users to communicate online. These practices, such as removing liability protections, unfairly block both trade and free speech and are barriers that diplomats should seek to remove.
“We are counting on USTR to stand up and confront the growth of trade barriers being erected under the cover of copyright law. These changes threaten legitimate services trade and the flow of information over the Internet — and impede one of the largest industries in the growing services sector of the economy.”