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Opportunities and challenges for trade policy in the digital economy

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Editor's note:

On November 30, 2022, Joshua P. Meltzer testified before the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness. His written testimony follows. Watch the hearing video.

Chair Carper, Ranking Member Cornyn, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today.

I am a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution where I work on digital trade issues as well as on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Today I will focus my testimony on the opportunities of ecommerce and digital services trade for the U.S., with a focus on the opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). I will also discuss evolving global AI regulation. In both these cases I will outline how digital trade commitments—whether in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs) or the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF) negotiations, can support growth in ecommerce opportunities, in digital services trade and support AI regulation and R&D consistent with U.S. values and strategic objectives.

Continue reading the full testimony