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<td><font color="#398bc5" face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="5">Open Digital Trade Newsletter</font><br />
<font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif"><strong>An update on the reform of trade agreements dealing with digital policy issues</strong></font><br />
<font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="5">April 2018</font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#398bc5"><strong>Highlight: United States to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership? </strong></font></font>
<p dir="ltr">It was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-weighs-rejoining-trans-pacific-partnership/2018/04/12/37d59500-3e71-11e8-8d53-eba0ed2371cc_story.html?noredirect=on">widely reported today</a> that President Trump has instructed Larry Kudlow, Director of the National Economic Council, and Robert Lighthizer, United State Trade Representative, to explore negotiations for the reentry of the United States into the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which the President had earlier withdrawn from on his third day in office.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The big question that this leaves open is on what terms that entry will be conditioned. The suspension of the majority of the Intellectual Property chapter of the agreement had been considered a key victory by digital rights activists, but the USTR is certain to seek the reactivation of the suspended provisions.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#398bc5"><strong>Project: transparency and participation </strong></font></font></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><font color="#3b5187">UK Trade Bill </font></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Since the last newsletter, there has been a fresh version of proposed <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0122/amend/trade_rm_rep_0329.1-7.html">amendments</a> to the Trade Bill under negotiation in the United Kingdom. These amendments, if passed, would restrict UK from being a signatory to a free trade agreement unless the consolidated texts were made publicly available within ten days after each round of negotiation, amongst other conditions.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Passage of the Bill with these amendments would establish national best practices that could eventually help raise the standards for other countries, beginning with the UK's trading partners. Campaign group Global Justice Now has <a href="https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/news/2018/apr/3/secrecy-us-uk-trade-talks-must-end-say-campaigners">called on</a> MPs to pass the amendment and is also working to raise awareness of the lack of public input in trade processes. The Trade Bill was scheduled, to return to the House of Commons for its report stage in the spring, however recent reports <a href="https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/news/2018/feb/23/trade-bill-crisis-government-delays-vote-avoid-defeat">suggest</a> that
progress on has stalled as parliamentary process has been postponed until May.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><font color="#3b5187">Congressional Progressive Caucus</font></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus has <a href="https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/uploads/CPC%20Fair%20Trade%20Agenda.pdf">released</a> <em>A Fair Trade Agenda: Renegotiating NAFTA for Working Families</em>. The document provides broad recommendations for a renegotiated NAFTA such as the need to respect the human rights of all individuals in the signatory countries to more tailored recommendations on patent terms. Crucially the report includes some crucial recommendations on improving transparency of the NAFTA process. It calls on the USTR to ensure that all NAFTA negotiating texts to be made publicly available after each negotiating round with the opportunity for public comment. The Caucus notes, that given that
NAFTA’s terms extend far beyond traditional trade matters, it is critical to ensure regular opportunities for review, debate, and democratic accountability.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#398bc5"><strong>Project: digital trade policy advocacy</strong></font></font></p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#3b5187"><b id="docs-internal-guid-868f691d-0c6d-db52-3976-4b92565e7f1c">Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</b></font></p>
<p dir="ltr">The 21st round of negotiations held in Indonesia in February, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was <a href="http://asean.org/storage/2018/03/JMS-4th-RCEP-ISSL-MM-FINAL-0303181.pdf">followed</a> by the 4th RCEP <a href="http://asean.org/storage/2018/03/JMS-4th-RCEP-ISSL-MM-FINAL-0303181.pdf">Ministerial Meeting</a> in Singapore in March. Reports <a href="https://businessmirror.com.ph/rcep-talks-advance-as-members-set-sights-on-2018-conclusion/">suggest</a> that text negotiations have advanced with some chapters nearing conclusion. Negotiating countries have also reached agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation and on Small and Medium Enterprises chapters.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Despite the intensity in efforts, significant progress has been lacking due to complications brought about by non-ASEAN negotiating countries Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. These countries do not have existing bilateral free-trade agreements (FTAs) with each other yet, resulting in a slowdown in the finalization of the trade deal. Nations have different approaches to digital trade, and differences on key areas like cross-border data flows and data storage remain. Emerging markets resist accepting any pact that includes digital trade principles while advanced nations seek restrictions on setting up servers and guarantees for the movement of data.In the end, member nations merely keep
reaffirming their intention to eventually reach an agreement.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The next RCEP Ministerial Meeting will be in July 2018 and member nations have <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/03/04/business/rcep-negotiators-make-progress-singapore-japan-pushes-year-end-deal-trade-pact/#.Ws4PYS97HBI">committed</a> to have substantial documents ready before the end of October. The next round of negotiations are <a href="https://www.nst.com.my/business/2018/03/341057/rcep-working-towards-substantial-conclusion-year-end-jayasiri">scheduled</a> to begin in April 2018.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#3b5187"><b id="docs-internal-guid-868f691d-0c6d-db52-3976-4b92565e7f1c">North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)</b></font></p>
<p dir="ltr">The 7th round of the NAFTA negotiations were held from February 25 to March 5 in Mexico City, and the once-planned 8th round has been cancelled, with no formal negotiation rounds planned for now. President Trump has been reported as saying that <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta-trump/trump-says-no-timeline-for-nafta-talks-getting-close-to-deal-idUSKBN1HJ2P1">there is no timeline for completion</a> of the talks, though a deal is close.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Although advances have been made in some other chapters, reports <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/04/solution-stalled-nafta-stop-pushing-so-hard-ip">suggest</a> that virtually the whole of the agreement's IP chapter remains up in the air. The divide between tech companies, seeking broad safe harbor provisions and fair use rights, and the content industry who are opposing such policies, remains. <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/action-for-trade-encourages-us-trade-representative-to-safeguard-ip-in-nafta-deal-300622066.html">Mounting pressure</a> from the creative industries <a href="https://www.bna.com/copyright-issues-nafta-n57982090872/">could result</a> in a new NAFTA IP chapter
that favors content producers over tech companies.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#3b5187"><strong>UNCTAD eCommerce Week</strong></font></p>
<p dir="ltr">The fourth edition of UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) <a href="http://unctad.org/en/Pages/MeetingDetails.aspx?meetingid=1653">E-Commerce Week</a> takes place in Geneva between April 16 and April 20. With this years theme focusing on "Development Dimension of Digital Platforms", the forum will bring together governments, private sector, development banks, academia and civil society representatives to discuss opportunities and challenges before the evolving digital economy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Key issues <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world/facebook-privacy-debate-shows-most-countries-not-ready-for-digital-economy-un-2539663.html">expected</a> to be debated during sessions include the development implications of the use of digital platforms in terms of: data privacy, competition, job creation and the sharing of benefits. Other issues <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-ecommerce/facebook-privacy-debate-is-tip-of-the-e-commerce-iceberg-u-n-says-idUSKBN1H42AE">include</a> legal questions related to e-transactions and e-signatures, consumer protection online, data protection, cybercrime, taxation and domain names.</p>
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<p><font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#003399"><strong>Quick Links</strong> </font><br />
<a href="https://www.eff.org/files/2016/03/15/brussels_declaration.pdf">Brussels Declaration on Trade and the Internet</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/dynamic-coalition-on-trade">IGF Dynamic Coalition on Trade and the Internet</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.bilaterals.org/">bilaterals.org</a><br />
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<a href="http://unctad.org/en/Pages/Home.aspx">UN Conference on Trade and Development</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.wto.org/">World Trade Organization</a></font></p>
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<font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#003399"><strong>Upcoming Events</strong></font><br />
<a href="http://unctad.org/en/conferences/e-week2018/Pages/default.aspx">UNCTAD eCommerce Week 16-20 April</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="https://www.internetgovernance.org/2018/02/12/mayworkshop/">Internet Governance Project Annual Workshop 24-25 May</a><br />
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<font color="#003399"><strong>Contacts</strong></font><br />
<a href="https://eff.org">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a><br />
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<a href="https://edri.org">European Digital Rights</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.keionline.org/">Knowledge Ecology International</a><br />
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<a href="http://openmedia.org">OpenMedia</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.citizen.org">Public Citizen</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.publicknowledge.org">Public Knowledge</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.tacd.org/index2.htm">Trans-Atlantic Consumer Dialogue</a></font></p>
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<td><font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#398bc5"><strong>Collaboration Opportunities </strong></font>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#3b5187"><b>RightsCon 2018</b></font></p>
<p dir="ltr">Members have been working on the agenda, format and speakers for workshops at RightsCon in Canada in May, 2018. "Can trade agreements such as CPTPP NAFTA and RCEP be used as a tool for advancing digital rights?" will be moderated by Gisela Perez de Acha from Derechos Digitales. The session format that has been agreed on by members includes a brief introduction followed by 4 minutes for discussion on selected topics from panellists.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Milton Mueller, Internet Governance Project will cover broader issues related to digital trade and cyber nationalism, and more specifically, how data localization undermines digital rights. Maryant Fernandez, EDRI, will talk about data flows, data protection and privacy; net neutrality and intermediary liability. Jeremy Malcolm will address the question whether trade rules against data localization can be used to enforce human rights. Parminder Jeet Singh, ITforChange will provide overview of economic rights, collective data ownership, livelihoods and digital industrialisation. The impact of copyright balance and the need to ensure that trade agreements don’t undermine IP rights will be covered by Sean Flynn, who
will look at some history on the topic. Cynthia Khoo will cover the importance of robust public domain and how FTAs threaten it.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#3b5187"><b>NAFTA joint letter</b></font></p>
<p dir="ltr">A joint letter by nonprofit groups covering the particular impacts of NAFTA's digital issues such as fair use and platform safe harbors remains in progress. It includes case studies to explain why robust provisions in NAFTA are important for libraries and archives, for nonprofit online user-generated content platforms such as Wikipedia, and for those who reuse and share content under free content licenses such as those of Creative Commons. The letter will be circulated here when it is complete.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><font color="#3b5187"><b>Other mailing lists</b></font></p>
<p dir="ltr">There are some other trade mailing lists for activists involved with particular negotiations that don't have public addresses or archives. If you are unsure whether a group already exists, please reach out to us or feel free to get in touch with other members on this list. We will continue to track and update mailing lists or collaboration groups and encourage other members to share details too.</p>
<font face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" size="2"><font color="#398bc5"><strong>Press roundup</strong></font></font>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/04/european-copyright-law-isnt-great-it-could-soon-get-lot-worse">European Copyright Law Isn't Great. It Could Soon Get a Lot Worse</a> (EFF, April 10)</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/economy/wto-calls-for-efforts-to-fight-trade-barriers">WTO calls for efforts to fight trade barriers</a> (Khaleej Times, April 9)</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.itic.org/news-events/news-releases/iti-to-secretary-mnuchin-build-an-international-coalition-to-press-china-to-play-by-the-rules-don-t-impose-tariffs">Build an International Coalition to Press China to Play by the Rules</a> (ITI, April 09)</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.unescap.org/news/implementing-digital-trade-facilitation-could-cut-trade-costs-asia-pacific-673-billion-annually">Digital Trade Facilitation in Asia and the Pacific</a> (UNESCAP, March 23)</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Comment/Pacific-trade-rules-on-digital-data-may-already-be-outdated2">Pacific trade rules on digital data may already be outdated </a>(Nikkei Asian Review, March 15)</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/fact-sheets/2018/march/2018-fact-sheet-key-barriers-digital">2018 Fact Sheet: Key Barriers to Digital Trade</a> (USTR, March 2018)</p></font>
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