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Nigel Cory

Nigel Cory

Associate Director, Trade Policy

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 202-626-5720

Twitter: @nigelcory

Nigel Cory is an associate director covering trade policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. He focuses on cross-border data flows, data governance, intellectual property, and how they each relate to digital trade and the broader digital economy. Cory has provided in-person testimony and written submissions and has published reports and op-eds relating to these issues in the United States, the European Union, Australia, China, India, and New Zealand, among other countries and regions, and he has completed research projects for international bodies such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization. Nigel is a member of the United Kingdom’s International Data Transfer Expert Council.

Cory previously worked as a researcher in the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Prior to that, he worked for eight years in Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which included positions working on G20 global economic and trade issues and the Doha Development Round. Cory also had diplomatic postings in Malaysia, where he worked on bilateral and regional trade, economic, and security issues, and in Afghanistan, where he was the deputy director of a joint U.S.-Australia provincial reconstruction team. Cory holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in international business and commerce from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia.

Recent Publications

March 28, 2024

Why the United States and EU Should Seize the Moment to Cooperate on Cybersecurity Labeling for IoT Devices

The United States and European Union should work through the Trade and Technology Council to align their respective cybersecurity labeling programs for the Internet of Things rather than allowing IoT security to become another technical barrier to trade and technology cooperation.

March 26, 2024

Warner-Blackburn Bill to Maintain US Leadership in Technical Standards Is Well-Intentioned, But Needs Fixing and Funding

On February 29, 2024, Senators Warner and Blackburn introduced the “Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024.” The bill is well-intentioned, but it needs key changes if it’s to be effective in helping the United States retain its leading role in setting technical standards for CETs.

March 5, 2024

U.S.-ROK Data Policy: Challenges and Opportunities

Contributing to a special report from the National Bureau of Asian Research, Nigel Cory and Nohyoung Park examine U.S. and South Korean approaches to data policy, including the barriers that arise from policy differences and the efforts made to find common ground and maximize cooperation.

February 26, 2024

Coalition Letter to the Biden Administration on Protecting the Free and Open Internet

As global leaders prepared to meet at the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization, ITIF and a coalition of civil rights, civil liberties, open Internet advocates, and digital trade experts, urged top Biden administration officials to support a free and open global Internet, while allowing for critical public policy objectives to support privacy and equity.

January 8, 2024

Podcast: We Need to Remain Proactive About Supporting Digital Free Trade, With Nigel Cory

Forced local data storage requirements are at the heart of both digital protectionism and digital authoritarianism.

December 13, 2023

USTR Tai’s Justification to Take a Time-out on Digital Trade Does Not Hold Up

USTR Tai’s decision to withdraw from digital trade negotiations at the WTO shows a concerning disregard for the usual boundaries between domestic debates and support for the U.S. government abroad.

November 16, 2023

China Gains as U.S. Abandons Digital Policy Negotiations

The USTR’s decision to no longer support provisions that protect cross-border data flows has far-reaching implications for the future of governing the internet and data that will reverberate beyond the WTO and IPEF. The absence of U.S. advocacy for data flows sends the message to other countries that they can enact restrictions that will discriminate against U.S. firms—which undermines the U.S. economy and leadership in governing digital technologies.

November 6, 2023

Comments on the Joint ITA-NIST-USPTO Collaboration Initiative Regarding Standards

The Biden administration (and the EU) need to carefully protect the role that patents and SEPs play in their respective ability to innovate and compete with China.

October 10, 2023

Unpacking the Biden Administration’s Strategy for Technical Standards: The Good, the Bad, and Ideas for Improvement

Success in the increasingly fierce competition for tech leadership relies partly on how well each country’s respective firms and experts influence the development of technical standards. Companies in the United States and their experts are key players because they are skilled at using the open, voluntary, industry-led, and consensus-based rules of standards organizations to turn their innovations into accepted technical specifications.

September 20, 2023

Testimony to the U.S. House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Trade Regarding Reforming the Generalized System of Preferences to Safeguard U.S. Supply Chains and Combat China

Recent administrations have not done enough to ensure GSP beneficiaries play fair in digital trade. To ensure the GSP program remains relevant in supporting modern U.S. trade, Congress should add explicit criteria defining what constitutes a digital trade barrier.

September 12, 2023

Unlocking EU Global Digital Trade: New Study Shows the US’s Key Role in EU Data Adequacy Determinations

The G7’s “data free flow with trust” initiative is still conceptual, but it has the potential to become a venue to develop pragmatic tools to address data privacy and governance issues. However, the G7’s success depends in no small part on the EU being far more pragmatic (rather than dogmatic) in how it works with like-minded countries on data governance issues.

September 8, 2023

How the United States and CPTPP Countries Can Stop Vietnam’s Slide Toward China-Like Digital Protection and Authoritarianism

Together, the United States and its like-minded partners in the CPTPP can work together to push Vietnam to remove restrictive and repressive digital policies. But if they fail to act, the challenge of building an open, rules-based, and rights-respecting digital economy will only get harder.

More publications by Nigel Cory

Recent Events and Presentations

March 13, 2024

Data Governance and Data Policy in the Indo-Pacific

Nigel Cory joins an expert panel at the 2024 Pacific Technology Policy Conference to discuss Indo-Pacific technology and innovation cooperation. Hosted by the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), the conference marks the release of a special report that Cory helped author for NBR—U.S.-ROK Tech Cooperation: Export Controls, Data Policy, and Artificial Intelligence.

August 6, 2023

Best Practices for Cloud Adoption: Government

Nigel Cory speaks at the Second Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Telecommunications and Information Working Group Workshop in Support of Regional Cloud Transformation, on best practices for cloud adoption for governments.

August 5, 2023

Critical Infrastructure and the State of Cyber Threats

Nigel Cory provides keynote remarks at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Workshop on Cybersecurity Considerations in Critical Infrastructure.

June 9, 2022

Data Localization vs. Data Governance: Why China Should Support Open, Clear, and Binding Rules on Data Flows and Digital Trade

Nigel Cory presented at the 2nd International Cyberspace Governance Forum hosted in Beijing, China, by Beihang University and Beijing Normal University.

May 19, 2022

Health Data Governance and Localization

On May 19, 2022, Nigel Cory gave a presentation on “Health Data Governance and Localization” to the Healthcare Leadership Council’s (HLC) Confidentiality Coalition.

December 2, 2021

2021 Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance Annual Summit

The GTIPA’s annual summits bring together alliance members with world-leading experts to explore creative solutions to the difficult economic, trade, and innovation challenges facing the international community.

July 20, 2021

How Can Countries Support Data Flows, Digital Trade, and Good Data Governance?

ITIF hosted a panel discussion on a new report on global data localization and what policymakers need to develop new rules, norms, frameworks, and agreements to support data flows.

June 10, 2021

Innovation Drag: The Impact of Chinese Economic and Trade Policies on Global Innovation

Watch our overview of this research, including sectoral analysis of five advanced industries: telecommunications equipment, biopharmaceuticals, solar photovoltaics, semiconductors, and high-speed rail. ITIF analysts will discuss how Chinese policies affect global innovation and steps allied nations can take to mitigate the harm.

November 12, 2020

Prospects for New Trade Governance Amid Protectionist Digital Industrial Policies and National Security Concerns

On November 12, Nigel Cory gave a keynote presentation on “Digital Trade: The prospects for new trade governance amidst emerging protectionist digital industrial policies and national security concerns” at the Trade and Investment in Services Associates (TIISA)’s 2020 Conference on “Servicification.”

October 28, 2020

Using Voluntary Agreements to Support a Local and Global Market in Legal Content

On October 28, 2020, Nigel Cory gave a presentation about how voluntary agreements among key stakeholders help combat digital piracy to Libre 2020 (the premier international Spanish-language book fair).

October 10, 2019

The Moratorium and the Impact on Developing Countries

Nigel Cory gave a presentation at the World Trade Organization’s Public Forum on “The Moratorium and the Impact on Developing Countries.”

October 9, 2019

Digital Trade and Health Services and Data

Nigel Cory gave a presentation at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Public Forum on “Digital Trade and Health: Data Flows and Data Governance.”

More Events & Presentations by Nigel Cory

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