TechWonk Blog Subsection
TechWonk Blog
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It鈥檚 crunch time in Geneva this week.聽 We鈥檝e reached a pivotal moment in the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) negotiations currently taking place in that global city, which is host of the World Trade Organization.聽 Negotiating teams and business stakeholders from around the world, including 91快活林鈥檚 John Neuffer, are there for the ninth time this year to move toward a commercially significant expansion [...]
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Dateline GENEVA:聽 This is the ninth time this year negotiating teams from around the world have converged on the World Trade Organization (WTO) to expand product coverage of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA).聽 It鈥檚 by far the most important round of talks and the last one before the WTO ministers meet in Bali, Indonesia in early December, which has long been the target for completing an agreement.聽 [...]
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Dateline Geneva:聽 The initiative to expand product coverage of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) took an important step forward this week, increasing the chances of getting an ambitious outcome this year.聽 If successful, this would represent the most commercially significant tariff reduction undertaking achieved by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the 17 years since the ITA was born. [...]
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As the Brazilian lower house of Congress, Camara de Deputados, prepares to vote on the Internet Framework bill, 91快活林 joined a coalition of nearly 50 global business groups urging in a letter to congressional leaders to reconsider proposed in-country data storage requirements. The proposals come from the Rousseff Administration and aim to secure Brazilian citizens鈥� data in response to NSA surveillance [...]
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Dateline Geneva:聽 After some soul-searching and hard work in key capitals around the world, talks to expand product coverage of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) have resumed this week in Geneva. 聽There are a few notable items to highlight as the talks get underway again after three months of being in suspension. For starters, as widely reported a week ago, the Chinese are returning to Geneva [...]
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This week鈥檚 House and Senate vote on a short-term deal to re-open the government and extend the federal debt ceiling was the symbolic equivalent of a stroke victim taking his first few tentative yet positive steps in rehab.聽 It鈥檚 not a perfect metaphor to describe the legislative paralysis that has gripped Washington, but it works when we think about what Congress needs to do going forward.聽 With congressional [...]
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After some fruitful discussions on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings just wrapping up in Bali and a boost from the APEC Leaders themselves, negotiations to expand product coverage of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) are back on track. Recall the ITA talks were suspended in July聽after China showed up in Geneva with a super-sized list of products it wanted [...]
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Yet another partisan budget showdown and potential government shutdown eclipsed a recent significant event in Washington that has the potential to drive innovation, economic growth, and job creation in the United States -- namely, last week鈥檚 visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh provided an opportunity to return our historic bilateral relationship to a firmer footing with significant positive [...]
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The European Union has taken an important step in affirming the ongoing vitality and integrity of the WTO鈥檚 Information Technology Agreement (ITA) by completing its legislative process to eliminate duties on key high-tech products covered by the ITA 鈥� a welcome move following a WTO decision against the EU in 2010. In a dispute-settlement case jointly pursued by the United States, Japan, and Taiwan, [...]
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Significant alignment between the U.S. and EU standards and regulations approaches can mean significant new opportunities for our economies, including new jobs and innovative products and services for consumers.聽 Today in Brussels, U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman made that evident. 聽 Our goals for T-TIP are clear.聽 A successful negotiation will create a comprehensive agreement, which not only [...]
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