USMCA Will Strengthen Global Semiconductor Supply Chain

by Dan Rosso, Vice President, Communications

WASHINGTON—Nov. 30, 2018—The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research, applauds today’s signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by each country’s leaders on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. The USMCA, if successfully ratified, will be the first U.S. trade agreement to incorporate many new and higher standard trade disciplines that will strengthen the digital economy and the global semiconductor supply chain.

“The USMCA will promote free trade, reaffirm America’s global technology and trade leadership, and ensure that more products made in America – including tech products like semiconductors –can be shipped to customers around the world,” said John Neuffer, SIA President and CEO.

Key provisions of the USMCA include new rules preventing parties from unfairly restricting trade of commercial encryption products, more robust protections for trade secrets and other types of IP, commitments to protect the free and open flow of data across borders, and new rules aimed at ensuring state-owned enterprises compete fairly and transparently based on commercial considerations.

SIA also applauds other new provisions related to counterfeit enforcement, forced localization, competition policy, and trade facilitation. These new and higher-standard norms and disciplines will serve as an important benchmark for shaping global trade rules that preserve and strengthen the digital economy, and will benefit U.S. companies and consumers.

“SIA supports congressional approval of the USMCA and looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration as the process moves forward,” Neuffer said.

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