Thune, Wyden Want Trump to Prioritize Digital Trade Issues in NAFTA Renegotiation

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged President Donald Trump Friday to prioritize digital trade issues in a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement as a way to “set the highest possible bar” for the internet’s economic potential. “Our opening position in negotiations for NAFTA 2.0 should be a strong defense of American interests, which means that we should not begin” with elements of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, said the letter. Trump withdrew the U.S. from TPP in January (see 1701240047). “Beyond data flow and data localization provisions, a modernized NAFTA should, among other things, secure the clearest liability protections for websites hosting user speech and commerce, the toughest bans on discriminatory licensing terms for online services, customs thresholds and procedures that work for small online sellers,” the senators said. They also asked Trump to seek “a copyright regime that is consistent with” the 2015 Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act.