CEA Testifies in Support of Information Technology Agreement Expansion

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following statement can be attributed to Sage Chandler, senior director of international trade at the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^®, who today testified at the International Trade Commission (ITC) in support of the efforts of the Administration and the U.S. Trade Representative to update and expand product coverage in the Information Technology Agreement (ITA):

“Since the ITA was established 15 years ago, the scale and scope of information technology products has grown beyond expectations, and the ITA must be updated to reflect the rapid changes in technology over the past decade. Updating the ITA to cover connected devices — like video games and their consoles, televisions with internet connectivity, and the audio and video systems that support them — will encourage competition and promote greater production of these devices, thereby creating jobs.

“CEA has several small and mid-sized U.S. members which export non-ITA covered products — such as loud speakers and headphones — under tariff code 8518. These products face massive tariff burdens around the globe — up to 40% to enter China, for instance. Yet these companies have still entered these markets. Imagine their growth potential should such restrictive tariffs be removed.”

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $206 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org, www.DeclareInnovation.com and through social media: https://www.facebook.com/#!/CEAfeed http://twitter.com/ceafeed http://blog.ce.org/.

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