September 2014

Global Industry Presses for Conclusion ofITA Expansion by APEC Leaders’ Meetingin Beijing
Industry associations from around the world strongly
support conclusion of the negotiations to significantly
expand product coverage of the Information Technology
Agreement (ITA) before the leaders of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies meet in Beijing
November 10-11.
These negotiations have been in suspension for nearly ayear. The time is now to finally conclude this criticallyimportant tariff-elimination initiative.
APEC ties with the ITA run deep. APEC ministers meetingin Manila in 1996 played a critical role in helping toestablish the ITA. And for the past several years, APEC
leaders have repeatedly called for swift conclusion of abalanced and commercially significant outcome to thesenegotiations, which would help restore confidence in theWorld Trade Organization at a pivotal time.
APEC economies can again play a decisive role in thefuture of the ITA by driving the effort to conclude thesenegotiations in time for the APEC leaders to celebrate
what would represent an historic achievement for global
trade when they meet in Beijing.
Product expansion of the ITA, as well as expansion ofgeographic scope of the agreement would yield immediateand substantial benefits, removing tariffs on a vast array oftech products. ITA expansion would bolster innovation,
accelerate productivity, create jobs, lower consumer
prices, and bridge communities across the globe in ways
unimagined 18 years ago when the agreement wasestablished.
We urge all the parties to this negotiation to seize thismoment in time, exercise strong leadership, embrace thelong-term benefits of ITA expansion, and limit productsensitivities so an ambitious result can be achieved before
the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in November.

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

Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed, USA) - American Chamber of Commerce of El Salvador (AmCham El Salvador, El Salvador) - American Chamber of Commerce in India (AmCham India, India) - American
Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AmCham Thailand, Thailand) - American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham Vietnam, Vietnam) - Association of Electronic Industries in Singapore (AEIS, Singapore) - Association ofThai ICT Industry (ATCI, Thailand) - Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA, Australia) - Brazilian Association of IT Companies (ASSEPRO, Brazil) - BSA | The Software Alliance (BSA, USA) - Camara de Industrias deCosta Rica (CICR, Costa Rica) - Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA, Japan) - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME, Canada) - China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA, China) - Colombian Software andIT Industry Federation (FEDESOFT, Colombia) - Communications and Information Network Association of Japan (CIAJ, Japan) - Communications and Manufacturing Association of India (CMAI, India) - Computer andCommunications Industry Association (CCIA, USA) - Computer Society of Kenya (Kenya) - Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA, USA) - Consumer Electronics Association (CEA, USA) - Costa Rican Chamber ofInformation and Communications Technologies (CAMTIC, Costa Rica) - Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition (CERC, USA) - Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Association (CETIA, USA) - Costa Rican-American
Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Costa Rica, Costa Rica) - DIGITALEUROPE (DIGITALEUROPE, EU) - Egyptian Information Telecom, Electronics and S/W Alliance (Eitesal, Egypt) - Electro-Federation Canada (EFC, Canada) The European Engineering Industries Association (ORGALIME, EU) - European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA, EU) - Entertainment Software Association (ESA, USA) - Entertainment Software Association of Canada(ESAC, Canada) - Federation of Hellenic ICT Enterprises (SEPE, Greece) - The Federation of Korean Information Industries (FKII, Korea) - Guatemalan Software Commission (SOFEX, Guatemala) - Hong Kong Electronic Industries
Association (HKEIA, Hong Kong) - Hong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF, Hong Kong) - Ibero American Federation of IT Associations (ALETI, Latin America) - ICT Associations of Jordan (int@j, Jordan) - ICTChamber of Commerce - MASIT (MASIT, Macedonia) - IKT-Norge (Norway) - INFOBALT (Lithuania) - Infocomm Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP, Philippines) - Information & Computer Technologies Industry
Association (APKIT, Russia) - Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC, Canada) - Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN, Nigeria) - Information Technology Industry Council (ITI, USA) - Intellect (UnitedKingdom) - Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (iGEA, Australia and New Zealand) - Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE, EU) - Israel Association of Electronics and Software Industries (IAESI, Israel) - Japan
Business Council in Europe (JBCE, Japan-EU) - Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association (JBMIA, Japan) - The Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEMA, Japan) - Japan Electronics andInformation Technology Industries Association (JEITA, Japan) - Japan Information Technology Services Industry Association (JISA, Japan) - Korea Electronic Association (KEA, Korea) - Korea Semiconductor Industry Association(KSIA, Korea) - Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA, USA) - National Association of Manufacturers (NAM, USA) - National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA, USA) - National ICT and Multimedia Association ofMalaysia (PIKOM, Malaysia) - National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP, Philippines) - PRBA-The Rechargeable Battery Association (USA) - Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines (SEIPI, Philippines)- Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International (SEMI, USA) - Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA, USA) - Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA, Singapore) - Software & Information Industry Association(SIIA, USA) - Taipei Computer Association (TCA, Taiwan) - Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA, Taiwan) - Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA, Taiwan) - TechAmerica (USA) Technology CEO Council (TCC, USA) - Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA, USA) - Transatlantic Business Council (TBC, USA-EU) - United States Council for International Business (USCIB, USA) - United States
Chamber of Commerce (USA) - United States Information Technology Office (USITO, USA) - Vietnam Electronics Industries Association (VEIA, Vietnam) - World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA, USA) –World Semiconductor Council (WSC)
For more information, contact mmedrano@itic.org