CTA Hails New Trade Deal That PK Slams on IP Grounds and SIIA Likes

CTA joined tech groups hailing the trilateral trade agreement the U.S., Canada and Mexico reached over the weekend (see 1810010018), as it modernizes the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Software and Information Industry Association supported the agreement, but Public Knowledge criticized the intellectual property “chapter” as reflecting “the priorities of major corporate rightsholders.” The “new NAFTA,” as CTA President Gary Shapiro called the deal Tuesday, “supports America's innovation by reducing barriers to digital trade,” and prevents “discrimination” against U.S. “payment platforms,” he said. CTA wants the Trump administration to “add guidelines on a balanced approach to copyright” to the agreement so Congress “may vote quickly on this pro-tech trade deal,” he said. The agreement bars duties and “other discriminatory measures” on products distributed electronically, and “ensures cross-border data transfer,” CTA noted. SIIA is “particularly pleased” with the agreement’s “cross-border data flow obligations” and protections for “source code/algorithms,” said Vice President-Public Policy Mark MacCarthy Monday. PK urged Congress to revise the Trade Promotion Authority “to guarantee that future trade negotiations are conducted in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, and with a minimum of democratic transparency.” It labeled the agreement a “missed opportunity to truly adapt NAFTA to the 21st century.”