Commerce and the Digital Economy -- Towards A Transatlantic Partnership

[Commentary] During the week of July 20, Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker travels to Brussels, and issues facing the digital economy will be top of mind. As a starting point for that conversation, it’s worth reviewing what is at stake and why the Commerce Department is working to support innovation and investment online -- on both sides of the Atlantic. This is why the Commerce Department has created a Digital Economy Leadership Team to further the Department’s efforts in this area. Its work in 2015 will focus on four key opportunities:

First, protecting the global free exchange of information. At Commerce, this includes promoting the free flow of data worldwide; transitioning domain name oversight to a new, accountable governance structure; and engaging with efforts like the EU’s Digital Single Market initiative.

Second, promoting trust and security online – essential for the success of the digital economy. The Department’s priorities include expanding its successful cybersecurity framework; modernizing the rules for government access to data; and supporting legislation to reform our patent system.

A third initiative is around promoting access and skills. Commerce is working to expand broadband access and adoption, and to equip workers with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy.

Finally, Commerce is pursuing opportunities to engage with emerging new technologies early in the development life cycle, to help promote promising new fields and to assess long-term policy concerns.

Europe will be an essential partner in these efforts to promote an open digital economy that offers opportunity and improves lives around the world. For example, the US and EU have a total commercial relationship worth over $5 trillion -- powerful incentive to get the transatlantic digital relationship right in our trade agreements and in areas like the ongoing Privacy Safe Harbor negotiations. And Europe has been a leader in considering the broad issues facing the digital economy, most recently through its Digital Single Market Initiative. As Secretary Pritzker spends this week meeting with European businesses and stakeholders, and her government counterparts in Brussels, we will be sharing more thoughts on the Department’s efforts to support a vibrant transatlantic -- and global -- digital marketplace.