ITIF Welcomes U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement
WASHINGTON—In response to the announcement of a trade agreement between the United States and Japan, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the world’s leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from Nigel Cory, ITIF’s associate director for trade policy:
The digital trade deal with Japan sends a strong signal that the Trump administration is committed to enacting new, much-needed rules that protect the free flow of data and digital free trade. The deal reinforces a shared commitment to achieving similar rules, especially on the free flow of data, as part of the broader set of e-commerce negotiations at the World Trade Organization.
The commitments in the agreement protect U.S. firms and their products from the discriminatory and restrictive policies that make digital trade costlier and more complex, if not impossible, in other countries around the world, especially in China.
For additional background, see ITIF’s recent report: Principles and Policies for “Data Free Flow With Trust.”
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The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute focusing on the intersection of technological innovation and public policy. Recognized by its peers in the think tank community as the global center of excellence for science and technology policy, ITIF’s mission is to formulate and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovation and boost productivity to spur growth, opportunity, and progress.
