International Telecom

摘要

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman should prioritize dismantling "protectionist" data flow policiesrnthrough Trans-Pacific Partnership, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and Trade in InternationalrnServices Agreement negotiations, said 18 House members in a Friday letter (http://1.usa.gov/1cxbuhJ).Some EU officials are pushing initiatives that undermine the U.S. ability to compete in the European market,rnsuch as an EU-only information sharing cloud and an EU information technology conglomerate, said the lawmakers.rnProtectionist EU IT policies threaten the $2.1 trillion in U.S. investment in the EU, the lawmakers said.rn“This mutually beneficial relationship would not be possible without constant streams of data between the EUrnand the U.S,” said legislators. "Halting cross-border data flows will, by many measures, simply stifle crossborderrntrade.” Congressional High Tech Caucus co-chairs Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Doris Matsui, DCalif.,rnled the letter. The lawmakers listed issues of concern both in and out of the U.S. After issuing a decreernthat requires Brazilian federal government agencies use only federally provided telecom and IT services, BrazilianrnPresident Dilma Rousseff is pursuing data localization legislation, said the lawmakers. “Meanwhile, somernGerman officials have called on the EU to review Safe Harbor, the only mechanism through which U.S. andrnEuropean companies can exchange information in compliance with the laws of the nations in which they conductrnbusiness” (CD Oct 24 p10), said members of Congress. “Canada has increased the number of federal governmentrnRequests for Proposals (RFPs) invoking a ‘national security exemption’ and requiring IT vendors whornbid for projects to keep all or portions of data within Canada.” U.S. Lawmakers recently introduced the DigitalrnTrade Act of 2013 in an effort to prevent or eliminate cross-border Internet data flow restrictions by establishingrnnegotiating principles for digital trade issues in future U.S. trade agreements.