---
title: "ITIF Welcomes Completion of WTO Agreement to Reduce Tariffs on High-Tech Products"
summary: |-
  ITIF welcomes completion of the World Trade Organization’s Information Technology Agreement, which will reduce global tariffs on hundreds of information and communications technology products.
date: "2015-12-16"
issues: ["Trade"]
content_type: "Press Releases"
canonical_url: "https://itif.org/publications/2015/12/16/itif-welcomes-completion-wto-agreement-reduce-tariffs-high-tech-products/"
---

# ITIF Welcomes Completion of WTO Agreement to Reduce Tariffs on High-Tech Products

WASHINGTON—The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) today welcomed completion of the World Trade Organization’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which will reduce global tariffs on hundreds of information and communications technology (ICT) products. ITIF released the following statement from Stephen Ezell, vice president for global innovation policy:

*The ITA has been one of the most commercially successful trade agreements in history, so we are very happy to see it expanded to cover hundreds of new ICT products. Completion of this agreement is not just a win for exporters. It is also a win for the millions of potential new users around the world who can now access high-tech products at lower costs. Technology use is the key driver of productivity and growth in the global economy, so this is a victory for all involved.*

*It was long past due to update the ITA. The technology we use every day has evolved significantly since 1996, but the products covered under the agreement have not. Updating the agreement to cover innovations ranging from GPS systems to ICT-enabled home-monitoring and medical devices to next-generation semiconductors means people around the world will be able to access and adopt cutting-edge technologies. We commend the negotiators for bringing this deal across the finish line because a successful ITA could ultimately add as much as $190 billion in global economic growth.*

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*Source: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)*
*URL: https://itif.org/publications/2015/12/16/itif-welcomes-completion-wto-agreement-reduce-tariffs-high-tech-products/*