i2Coalition Applauds the Signing of the USMCA into U.S. Law

— PRESS RELEASE —

Washington D.C., January 29, 2020 – President Donald Trump signed into U.S. law a new North American trade pact, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), on Wednesday with digital provisions that will help ensure continued economic growth and innovation across the three member countries.

i2Coalition co-founder and policy working group chair David Snead has been a vocal advocate for the USMCA, which he says will create vital opportunities for Internet infrastructure providers in North American markets. Provisions relating to the digital economy – and in particular the Digital Trade Chapter – should be used as the template for future U.S. trade agreements, according to Snead.

The USMCA was originally signed in 2018 by the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada, but still had to be approved by the legislatures of the three signing countries. Mexico has already approved the agreement, but it is still awaiting the final approval of Canada’s parliament which is expected in the next several months.

i2Coalition has previously announced strong support for the Digital Trade Chapter of the USMCA when it passed a crucial U.S. Senate vote particularly around its assurances that creators and users of content would remain responsible for the creation and use of that content. i2Coalition also supports provisions for free trade of digital products, and applauds limitations on disclosure of source code and data localization provisions that could fragment the market. This shows significant foresight and will help ensure continued innovation in North America.

Furthermore, a stable and predictable digital trade environment in North America is vital for the digital economy and the services it provides to consumers. The USMCA will ensure strong trilateral relations between these important players.

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About The i2Coalition

The i2Coalition is the voice of those businesses who build the Internet. We represent cloud providers, data centers, domain registrars, registries, web hosts, payment processors, software developers and other foundational Internet enterprises. Along with partner organizations, we help keep the Internet an engine for economic growth and freedom.