International Trade Administration Announces Efforts to Advance U.S. Competitiveness and Trade in the Digital Economy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 20, 2024
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Email: publicaffairs@trade.gov
Phone: 202-482-3809
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the International Trade Administration (ITA) announced a series of new initiatives to advance U.S. competitiveness and trade in the digital economy. These initiatives will support policy advocacy in international engagements, provide tailored resources for U.S. businesses to leverage, and equip ITA’s digital attachés with applied experience to empower them to be stronger advocates for U.S. commercial interests in foreign markets and help strengthen U.S. leadership in the digital economy.
“With nearly 3 million U.S. jobs across nearly every industry and sector and over $500 billion dollars in digital services exports annually, trade is an indispensable factor to supporting growth in the digital economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets Arun Venkataraman. “At the International Trade Administration, we are committed to advancing the competitiveness of U.S. industry and ensuring a level playing field for U.S. businesses, large and small, in foreign markets, which is why we are taking further action to ensure that we are positioned to champion policies and opportunities to support U.S. businesses and ensure continued U.S. leadership in the digital economy.”
Building on historic work advancing U.S. technological leadership and strengthening the global digital policy environment, ITA leadership is directing efforts and allocating resources to ensure that trade in the digital economy is prioritized across ITA’s workstreams. To this end, ITA is ensuring its policy advocacy and commercial dialogues are modernized for the digital era; providing regular reporting on the digital economy business environment in key markets to inform and serve U.S. businesses; collaborating with organizations like the Business Council for International Understanding to equip digital attachés with specialized training; working with other Commerce bureaus to support export opportunities for small and medium-sized tech enterprises; and pursuing digital economy trade missions to help reduce barriers to trade in the digital economy.
These actions build on ITA’s longstanding efforts to deliver concrete, commercially meaningful outcomes that advance U.S. innovation and leadership in the digital economy. For example, these new efforts will reinforce ITA’s longstanding leadership in promoting cross-border data flows, including through the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules, and further support ITA’s partnership with other agencies in the Department of Commerce and across the U.S. Government to promote secure and trusted networks and strengthen innovation through the full deployment of Wi-Fi technologies.
Leading business and trade associations also expressed support for ITA’s efforts:
- From Dr. Kelly Burton, CEO, Black Innovation Alliance (BIA): “The digital economy has a central role in our economic growth, creating opportunities and access to international markets for businesses of all sizes, across virtually every industry. As a key U.S. government agency promoting technological leadership and commercial success around the globe, the International Trade Administration (ITA) is perfectly positioned to provide access to the Digital Economy. BIA values its partnership with ITA’s Global Markets and their efforts to ensure that businesses, especially our members, can utilize their services to take their efforts to the next level.”
- From Ed Brzytwa, Vice President of International Trade, Consumer Technology Association (CTA): “Digital trade enables U.S. companies to access global markets, find new customers, and deliver innovative solutions to real world problems. CTA applauds the International Trade Administration for its efforts to address barriers to digital trade, which especially benefit startups and small businesses. We look forward to supporting ITA’s digital trade missions around the world, including training for U.S. digital trade attachés who lead this charge.”
- From Peter Tichansky, President and CEO, Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU): “The digital economy is vital to international trade. ITA has been an effective partner supporting the business community, and we look forward to a new, enhanced effort to increase their capacity to support businesses around the world. We are enthusiastic supporters of ITA’s Digital Attaché Program, which is more vital than ever to spurring continued growth, and to addressing challenges in this area. Given our experience working with U.S. industry and technology leaders, we are excited to contribute to the professional development of ITA’s digital attachés.”
To learn more about ITA’s efforts to advance U.S. competitiveness and trade in the digital economy, see the fact sheet on Commerce.gov.
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About the International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce is the premier U.S. Government resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. Operating in more than 100 U.S. locations and 80 markets worldwide, ITA promotes trade and investment, assists U.S. businesses and workers to export and expand globally, and ensures fair trade and compliance by enforcing U.S. trade laws and agreements. For more information on ITA, visit www.trade.gov.
