FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 28, 2008

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Supports U.S. Complaint over EU Tariffs on Information Technology

U.S. Trade Representative Seeks Resolution through World Trade Organization

Arlington, VA –The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, hails U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab’s May 28 announcement that the United States is seeking trade dispute consultations with the EU over its failure to abide by its commitments under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA). 

“The ITA is fundamental to promoting innovation and free trade in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector,“ said TIA President Grant Seiffert.  “USTR’s request, which has also been made by Japan, will serve to protect free trade and preserve the integrity of the ITA,” he added.

The ITA is an important international agreement that eliminates tariffs on innovative technologies that positively transform the way the world communicates, conducts business and educates people.  In recent years, however, the EU has adopted measures that have resulted in new duties on imports of products covered by the ITA.  TIA believes that European businesses and consumers are entitled to continue to reap the benefits of competitiveness and innovation provided for by the ITA, commitments to which the EU has already subscribed.

Global exports of ITA products were estimated at over $70 billion in 2007.  TIA will work with the global ICT industry to support USTR’s efforts and urges other nations to join Japan and the United States in striving to protect the ITA.

 About TIA
Currently in its 84th year, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory analysis. TIA enhances the business environment for thousands of companies and individuals whose focus is broadband development and deployment (including wireless and landline infrastructure and services), information technology (IT) for commercial or residential application, Internet Protocol (IP) hardware, software and content solutions, and the convergence of voice, video and data (“triple play”) applications and evolution.

TIA co-owns NXTcomm, the tradeshow serving the ICT industry; is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); serves as the secretariat for the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2); holds Board of Director positions on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) TELECOM and USITO Boards; and hosts the USA pavilions in ITU trade fairs worldwide.

More than 1,100 subject matter experts and other industry leaders participate in TIA’s 70+ standards committees and TIA has produced more than 1,150 standards documents. From mobile and personal communications systems to fiber optics and cabling infrastructure, from vehicular telematics and terrestrial mobile multimedia to healthcare ICT, TIA’s engineering committees work to formulate positions and prepare international standards and reports for use by industry and government.

In government affairs and international trade, hundreds of experts are at the table helping to advance and advocate initiatives on behalf of the industry – projects such as advancing global broadband deployment across wireline, wireless and cable platforms; advocating advanced spectrum management; encouraging policies to enable information access for persons with disabilities; seeking allocation of additional spectrum to advance wireless services and public safety; facilitating market opportunities by promoting full, fair and open trade and competition in international markets; and ensuring that the U.S. communications sector continues to be a leader in advanced research.

On the environmental front, TIA’s EIATRACK subscription-based web service, on the Web at www.eiatrack.com<, enables companies to determine up-to-date information on environmental compliance of their products in various regions around the world.

TIA’s Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, ANDA Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Harris Stratex, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Verari Systems, Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology, Orca Systems and Telcordia Technologies.

TIA membership enhances the ability of companies to prepare for the future of communications.  TIA brings people and businesses together by helping the industry overcome technical and political barriers to communications. Visit www.tiaonline.org for details.

 

##