#193: NAFTA, Tech, and Trade
The North American Free Trade Agreement was a major sticking point in the 2016 election, with then-candidate Trump criticizing the trade deal for killing U.S. jobs, particularly in manufacturing. But how do policies like NAFTA impact technology and the everyday consumer experience? Recently, Canada, Mexico, and the United States began renegotiating the 1994 trade agreement, aiming to complete a new deal by the end of the year. Should tech stakeholders be worried about changes to NAFTA, or is this an opportunity for improving a deal that was struck long before most Americans had ever used the Internet? What will it mean for cybersecurity, intellectual property, tariffs, and other tech issues? Evan is joined by Ed Brzytwa, Director of Global Policy for the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). For more, see ITI’s comments on NAFTA modernization.