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Growing the innovation economy requires tight and deep integration of global markets—but with the critical caveat that this integration must come with strong commitments to openness and robust, market-oriented national competitiveness policies, not protectionist market distortions. ITIF's research focuses on how to promote robust trade, especially in innovation-based industries, and curb the spread of innovation mercantilism in all its forms.

Rodrigo Balbontin
Rodrigo Balbontin

Associate Director

Trade, IP, and Digital Technology Governance

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Stephen Ezell
Stephen Ezell

Vice President, Global Innovation Policy, and Director, Center for Life Sciences Innovation

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

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Stan McCoy
Stan McCoy

Senior Fellow

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Featured

Toward Globalization 2.0: A New Trade Policy Framework for Advanced-Industry Leadership and National Power

Toward Globalization 2.0: A New Trade Policy Framework for Advanced-Industry Leadership and National Power

Globalization 1.0 has failed, but protectionist autarky cannot be its replacement. Instead, it is past time to craft a new kind of globalization that advances U.S. interests in key industries and prevents China from becoming the dominant techno-economic power.

The Trade Imbalance Index: Where the Trump Administration Should Take Action to Address Trade Distortions

The Trade Imbalance Index: Where the Trump Administration Should Take Action to Address Trade Distortions

As the Trump administration seeks to rebalance America’s trade relationships, it should focus the most attention on countries where U.S. industries face the worst trade distortions and imbalances, and where the greatest gains can be achieved for the U.S. economy. China, India, and the European Union top that list.

Go to the Mattresses: It’s Time to Reset U.S.-EU Tech and Trade Relations

Go to the Mattresses: It’s Time to Reset U.S.-EU Tech and Trade Relations

In its bid for tech sovereignty, the EU has been aggressively targeting U.S. firms and industries with unfair protectionist policies. This cannot stand. To move forward into a new era of deeper transatlantic trade integration, America must first demand a level playing field.

Testimony to the US House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee: Protecting American Innovation by Establishing and Enforcing Strong Digital Trade Rules

Testimony to the US House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee: Protecting American Innovation by Establishing and Enforcing Strong Digital Trade Rules

Congress needs to make clear that it expects other nations to cease and desist, while at the same time holding whoever is in the White House to high standards of more strongly incorporating digital issues into a robust trade defense strategy.

How Expanding the Information Technology Agreement to an “ITA-3” Would Bolster Nations’ Economic Growth

How Expanding the Information Technology Agreement to an “ITA-3” Would Bolster Nations’ Economic Growth

Completing a second expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (an “ITA-3”) could bring more than 400 unique ICT products under the ITA’s tariff-eliminating framework, which would add more than $750 billion to the global economy over 10 years.

More Publications and Events

April 22, 2025|Events

How The Rise of Chinese E-Commerce Platforms Will Impact the U.S.

Please join ITIF for a timely discussion with experts on e-commerce regulation, logistics, and policy to explore the growth of Chinese e-commerce platforms, their impact on U.S. businesses and consumers, and how policymakers and industry leaders should respond.

April 3, 2025|Events

From Rejection to Reform: Rethinking Globalization

Please join ITIF for a hybrid event presenting key findings from a significant new report and a panel of distinguished trade policy experts. Speakers will examine the failures of the last phase of globalization, the economic and policy dead ends caused by recent anti-globalization trends, and the principles and policies needed to shape a “Globalization 2.0” framework.

March 24, 2025|Blogs

Fact of the Week: Analysts Have Downgraded Global GDP Growth Projections for 2025 to 3.1 Percent

The OECD now expects global GDP to grow by 3.1 percent this year, reduced from the previous projection of 3.3 percent in light of heightened trade barriers and political uncertainty.

March 24, 2025|Blogs

Advanced Technology Products Rely on Strong Trade Partnerships

America’s innovation economy depends on strong trade alliances—not trade wars—to sustain growth and secure leadership in advanced technology exports.

March 20, 2025|Testimonies & Filings

Memo to the U.S. Treasury Department Regarding President Trump’s America First Trade Policy

The administration should address concerns related to counterfeit products, discriminatory digital taxes, and investment controls for critical technologies with measures to protect American innovation while promoting fair, rules-based trade principles that benefit the U.S. economy and support U.S. technological leadership.

March 20, 2025|Testimonies & Filings

Memo to the U.S. Commerce Department Regarding President Trump’s America First Trade Policy

The administration should address mercantilist policies that systematically disadvantage American businesses and workers with corrective measures such as strategic enforcement actions, reciprocal tariffs, expanded trade agreements, and stronger digital trade protections.

March 20, 2025|Testimonies & Filings

Memo to the U.S. Trade Representative Regarding President Trump’s America First Trade Policy

The administration should address trade imbalances, discriminatory regulations, and digital trade restrictions imposed by China, India, and the European Union, among others. Targeted policy responses may include reciprocal tariffs, digital trade enforcement, fair pricing mechanisms, and strengthened trade agreements to ensure a level playing field for U.S. businesses.

March 17, 2025|Podcasts

Trading Blows: Is Europe Prepared? With Aslak Berg and Ignacio Garcia Becerro

In this episode of the Trade War Podcast by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, host Stan McCoy delves into the current state of US-EU trade tensions with esteemed European trade experts Ignacio Garcia Becerro and Aslak Berg.

March 10, 2025|Podcasts

Podcast: Has China Already Won? With Michael Wessel and Stephen Ezell

In this episode of the Trade War Podcast from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), host Stan McCoy is joined by Michael Wessel, a senior advisor at the Alliance for American Manufacturing, and Stephen Ezell, vice president of global innovation policy at ITIF.

March 7, 2025|Blogs

The Global Spread of Protectionist Policies That Squeeze American Tech Companies

A growing proliferation of antitrust regulations, content-moderation requirements, data-localization mandates, digital service taxes, exorbitant fines and fees, and local content requirements reveals a clear pattern: They are designed to unfairly burden and extract revenue from American Big Tech.

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