Washington, D.C. – The Global Innovation Forum (GIF) and the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today applauded the U.S. Commerce Department’s launch of a new ‘Digital Attaché’ program to address barriers to trade in the digital economy.
“We applaud the Commerce Department for its innovative approach to mitigate a growing concern for the U.S. business community – restrictions and barriers to the free flow of information across borders,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “This new initiative is aimed at ensuring that companies of all sizes and across all sectors of the U.S. economy succeed in today’s global economy.
According to Commerce, the Digital Attachés will be members of the Foreign Commercial Service. They will provide support and assistance to help U.S. businesses successfully navigate digital policy and regulatory issues in foreign markets and expand exports through global e-commerce channels.
“From startups to the Fortune 500, increasingly U.S. companies with global reach are operating in an ever-evolving environment when it comes to digital policy and related regulation,” said Jake Colvin, Executive Director of the Global Innovation Forum. “With so much economic potential to harness, it is critical that our companies have the tools needed to compete and thrive in markets around the world. This is a key goal of the ‘Digital Attachés’ initiative launched today, and we commend Secretary Pritzker and her team at Commerce for their work to address these complex issues.”
About the Global Innovation Forum
The Global Innovation Forum (GIF) is dedicated to fostering a better understanding of the policy foundations that underpin the ability of startups, researchers, universities, NGOs and companies of all sizes to innovate and engage globally in the digital age. Through public forums, private workshops and online activities, GIF connects innovative business, startup, university and development communities to explore the opportunities and challenges of engaging in the international marketplace and the impact that public policies can have on global innovation. GIF is a project of the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation.