Washington — Computer & Communications Industry Association Vice President Matt Schruers will testify at a USTR hearing today on what should be included in its annual report on other countries’ IP policies that present market access barriers to US industries. CCIA filed comments with USTR earlier this month noting that Europe is poised to enact additional copyright policies that will have significant negative consequences for the digital economy. At the hearing, CCIA will ask USTR to confront the growth of trade barriers erected under the cover of copyright law changes.
CCIA has advocated against protectionist IP policies for more than 25 years.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Vice President Matt Schruers:
“U.S. companies are confronting a growing list of trade barriers, from snippet taxes for offering links to information in Europe, to legal problems when offering Internet services in countries out of step with the international consensus on intermediary liability norms. These practices, aimed at a key US export sector, impede legitimate services trade and the flow of information over the Internet.”