| Contacts: | Jason Oxman tel: 703-907-7664 e-mail: joxman@CE.org |
Cara Duckworth tel: (202) 857-9629 e-mail: CDuckworth@riaa.com http://www.riaa.org |
CONTENT AND CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES UNITE TO ADVOCATE PRO-INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICYMAKING
CEA, MPAA, RIAA FORMALLY ASK CONGRESS TO ACT
| Arlington, Virginia | 1/7/2008 |
The content and consumer electronics industries united around a policy issue driving both industries – international trade. Today, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) delivered a letter to congressional leadership asking them to advocate a strong trade agenda during the second half of the 110th Congressional Session. Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO, announced the letter earlier today during his opening remarks at the 2008 International CES®, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, which runs through Wednesday.
Dan Glickman, MPAA chairman and CEO and Mitch Bainwol, RIAA chairman and CEO joined Shapiro as signatories to the letter thanking Congress for passage of the Peru free trade agreement (FTA) and seeking additional actions to reduce foreign trade barriers. Specifically, the organizations asked Congress to pass pending FTAs with Colombia, Panama and the Republic of Korea, and to create a pathway for renewal of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) that would allow the President to more easily negotiate additional trade agreements.
In their letter, the association heads argued, "The U.S. consumer electronics, motion picture, and recording industries are among the strongest drivers of American innovation and economic growth. Our industries promote the currency of democracy: ingenuity, innovation and the pursuit of personal and artistic expression. The growth of our industries, and our ability to promote American values, depends on access to foreign markets.
"We ask for your continued leadership in reducing foreign trade barriers and allowing us to sell the fruits of our industries' genius around the globe so that our industries can continue to create high-paying U.S. jobs and contribute to the U.S. economy."
About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $148 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,200 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA's industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES
January 5, 2008, Las Vegas, NV - 2008 International CES
January 7-10, 2008, Las Vegas, NV - Digital Music Forum East
February 26-27, 2008, New York, NY - EHX Spring 2008
March 11-15, 2008, Orlando, FL - 2008 PARA Conference
March 12-14, 2008, Orlando, FL - Digital Patriots Dinner
April 2, 2008, Washington, DC - CEA Washington Forum
April 2-4, 2008, Washington, DC - International CES/Hometech
May 25-27, 2008, Dubai, UAE - ConnectionsTM:The Digital Living Conference and Showcase
June 24-26, 2008, Santa clara, CA - SINOCES 2008
July 10-13, 2008, Qingdao, China - CEA Industry Forum
October 19-22, 2008, Las Vegas, NV - Digital Hollywood
October 27-30, 2008, Hollywood, CA - EHX Fall 2008
November 4-7, 2008, Long Beach, CA
January 8, 2008
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable John Boehner
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Republican Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid:
On behalf of the members of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), we ask you to advocate a strong trade agenda during the second half of the 110th Congressional Session.
Specifically, we thank you for passage of the Peru Free Trade Agreement and ask you to support ratification of the Columbia, Panama and Republic of Korea bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTA). The pending bilateral trade agreements, if approved, will eliminate harmful tariffs, reinforce our commitment to strong intellectual property rights, and establish a level playing field for American workers by insisting on greater standards and transparencies abroad. They will benefit our industries, our economy, our artists and our consumers.
We also encourage you to provide a clear pathway for the renewal of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). The United States’ ability to negotiate and ratify Free Trade Agreements, in a timely manner, is critical to future trade negotiations and the long term health and success of our industries. Without Trade Promotion Authority, the United States significantly jeopardizes its position as a global competitor and may fall behind the European Union, Japan, China, and other groups currently negotiating trade agreements.
The U.S. consumer electronics, motion picture, and recording industries are among the strongest drivers of American innovation and economic growth. Our industries promote the currency of democracy: ingenuity, innovation and the pursuit of personal and artistic expression. The growth of our industries, and our ability to promote American values, depends on access to foreign markets. We urge that progress toward global economic and social engagement through trade not be derailed as we move into the digital era, where American innovation and creativity have natural advantages. A retreat from international commerce would also be a retreat from the traditional American role of global economic and diplomatic leadership.
Instead, we ask for your continued leadership in reducing foreign trade barriers and allowing us to sell the fruits of our industries’ genius around the globe so that our industries can continue to create high-paying U.S. jobs and contribute to the U.S. economy. That means passing pending FTAs and paving the way for the President to more easily negotiate others.
Thank you for all that you do on behalf creativity and innovation.
Sincerely,
Gary Shapiro Dan Glickman Mitch Bainwol
President and CEO Chairman and CEO Chairman and CEO
Consumer Electronics Association Motion Picture Association of America Recording Industry Association of America
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CONTENT AND CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES UNITE