Plan to participate in TIA’s annual strategic Conference, October 7-10, 2013 in Washington, DC.
TIA Applauds Russia’s Decision to Join WTO Information Technology Agreement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ashley Rook, +1.202.429.4929, AshleyRook@Rational360.com
TIA Applauds Russia’s Decision to Join WTO Information Technology Agreement
ARLINGTON, VA (September 13, 2013) – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, today applauds the announcement that Russia has joined the WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which demonstrates that Russia is making progress towards meeting its commitments when it acceded to the WTO in August 2012. By joining the ITA, Russia becomes the 78th member of one of the most significant trade agreements for the ICT industry. The ITA eliminates tariffs on a wide variety of ICT products and subcomponents that are critical to the global ICT industry. Members of the ITA represent about 97 percent of global trade in ICT products.
“We very much welcome the announcement today that Russia has fulfilled its commitment to join the ITA,” said Grant Seiffert, TIA President. “The ITA continues to be one of the most important trade agreements for the global ICT industry. Expanding themembership of the ITA strengthens the Agreement and enhances Russia’sintegration into the global ICT ecosystem.”
About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobilewireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details.
TIA isaccredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and is a proud sponsor of ANSI’s Standards Boost Business campaign. Visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org for details.
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We hope that China will use this break in the negotiations to reexamine its approach to the negotiations to expand the ITA and focus on reducing its overly large list of sensitive products. If China is ready to move forward to conclude the expansion of the ITA this year then the ITA Expansion is achievable this year.

As part of a large U.S. industry delegation representing a broad array of ICT manufacturers, TIA is in Geneva, Switzerland this week to cheer on the trade negotiators who are working hard to conclude the negotiations to expand the product coverage of the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA). The ITA remains one of the most commercially important WTO trade agreements – by eliminating tariffs on a broad range of ICT products, the ITA lowers the cost and improves access to these products, which are vital to the economic competitiveness of all economies around the world.
The Telecommunications Industry Association was in Geneva last week along with AdvaMed, the Consumer Electronics Association, the Entertainment Software Association, the Information Technology Industry Council, the Liquid Crystal Polymer Coalition, the Motion Picture Association of America, and the Semiconductor Industry Association. This coalition of high-tech companies represents a broad spectrum of manufacturers and service providers in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.
Last week was a busy one at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. The signs are very encouraging that the member countries of the WTO are back on track to move the WTO’s trade liberalization agenda forward – from the new International Services Agreement (ISA) to the ongoing negotiations to expand the existing WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA).






