ITA Global Industry Statement

Global Industry Expectations Running High That ITA Expansion Will Be Wrapped Up This Month

Over 80 industry associations from around the world call on all the parties negotiating expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) to seize the moment and finally conclude a strong tariffelimination agreement during the next round of talks scheduled to resume on December 4 in Geneva.

Following the breakthrough to expand the ITA achieved on the margins of the recent meeting of the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies in Beijing, global industry expectations are high that an ambitious outcome can and should be obtained during the upcoming talks.

Conclusion of a commercially significant and balanced agreement would represent an historic triumph for global trade and help restore confidence in the World Trade Organization’s ability to deliver tangible negotiating results that lead to tangible market opening.

Product expansion of the ITA — and expansion of geographic scope of the agreement — would yield other immediate and substantial benefits. Removal of tariffs on a vast array of tech products would bolster innovation, accelerate productivity, create countless jobs, lower consumer prices, and bridge communities across the globe in ways unimagined 17 years ago when the agreement came into being.

We urge all the parties to this negotiation to exercise strong leadership, embrace the immediate and longterm benefits of ITA expansion, and limit product sensitivities so an ambitious result can be achieved during the round of talks set to commence in Geneva later this week.

We continue to be deeply committed to working closely with our governments to achieve a swift and ambitious outcome that will expand trade, stimulate growth, increase jobs, spur innovation, and promote prosperity around the world.