The
Computer & Communications Industry Association is pleased to welcome James
Waterworth, who will begin leading CCIA’s Brussels office this week. CCIA is a
global technology trade association that started 40 years ago to promote
policies that would foster the growth of the tech industry.
Waterworth brings with him more than a decade of experience
in technology policy having held government affairs posts for Nokia, Cable and
Wireless and Telefonica in Brussels and London. He has considerable experience
in many key areas, including policies and regulation relating to the Internet,
telecommunications, intellectual property and international trade. Between 2009
and 2012 he was President of the European Digital Media Association.
Our
industry’s issues are global, and for the past decade the European Commission
has often taken the lead on issues impacting the tech industry from antitrust
enforcement to online privacy. Waterworth will arrive as Europe is developing policy on
important areas ranging from e-commerce to intellectual property enforcement.
"I look forward to promoting openness and competition in
the issues being debated in Brussels. Examples of these areas include net
neutrality, preparations for the World Conference on International Telecommunications
(WCIT) and the review of data protection legislation to name but a few of the
issues CCIA will be engaged with," Waterworth said.
“For
four decades we have promoted policies that encourage open markets, open
systems and open networks,” said CCIA President & CEO Ed Black. “This has
meant being a voice for competition ahead of regulation, for balanced
intellectual property policies that support interoperability and innovation as
well as rightholders, and for an open Internet that prevents Internet filtering
and censorship for political, social, or economic reasons.”
“As
we celebrate our 40th anniversary, CCIA is committed to continuing
and expanding our mission globally by increasing our staff and capacity to
better promote good tech policy, especially focusing on Washington, Geneva, and
Brussels. James has a strong telecom and technology background and years of
experience advocating on public policy in Europe. He will be a great addition
to our international team advocating for enlightened policy in the EU, the UN
and other international governing bodies,” Black said.
Waterworth
will be working closely with Nick Ashton-Hart, CCIA’s Geneva Representative,
where CCIA is active advocating for global services and ICT hardware trade liberalization,
Internet freedom and balanced intellectual property policy. Proposals to expand
UN control over the Internet pose a serious threat.
“James' joining CCIA is a major benefit
to CCIA's members' interests and will reinforce CCIA's unique ability to work
globally across all three office on major international policy initiatives
which affect every user of the Internet every day. From ensuring that what you
say, find, and buy on the Internet is not limited by unwise legal policy
development to accelerating global trade in ICT services and hardware, CCIA's
three offices give it an ability to effect positive change unique amongst
technology associations worldwide," Ashton-Hart said.
