Government relations program
ITI’s Government Relations Program
is widely regarded as the leading high tech lobbying operation
in Washington. Ralph Hellmann, senior vice president of Government
Relations, and his team educate Members of Congress and the Administration
about the digital world and garner support for key high tech
priorities.
Government Relations Committee: In
conjunction with ITI's president, develops and establishes the Association's
public policy positions and priorities within Board-approved guidelines,
the ITI Business Plan and, as appropriate, positions developed by policy
committees. The consensus of this committee defines ITI's public policy
positions.
Trade Policy Committee: Promotes
policies that expand market access for ICT products and services through
bilateral, regional and multilateral negotiations and enforcement of
agreements; and address technical regulations and other non-tariff
barriers that inhibit market growth and trade. The TPC garners support
for its policy priorities with in-country company representatives and
trade associations domestically and abroad, and engages government
officials and international organizations to achieve desired outcomes.
Electronic Commerce Committee: Develops
and implements policy positions that promote increased access to IT
products and services in domestic and global markets. Through this
committee, ITI addresses critical issues such as consumer privacy,
Internet security, Internet taxes, and the creation of a legal framework
for electronic commerce.
Intellectual Property Committee: Establishes
and advances the ITI’s positions on existing and proposed legislation,
government policies, and regulations relative to all aspects of proprietary
rights.
Telecommunications Committee: Shapes
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policies affecting the IT industry,
including those related to broadband deployment, interconnection, access
charges, universal service, and compilation.
Tax Committee: Develops and recommends ITI’s
positions on domestic and international tax policies and regulations,
including those that may affect electronic commerce.
Workforce Committee: Shapes workforce policies (i.e.,
education, training, stock options, and H1B visas) that will advance the
technological leadership and global competitiveness of U.S. IT companies.
TECHNOLOGY AND TRADE PROGRAM
ITI’s Technology and Trade Program addresses
global standards, technical regulations, regulatory policy, and international
trade issues for our member companies. Ann Rollins, Vice President
of Technology and Trade, and her team educate and garner support for
U.S. and international policies that greatly impact the information
and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Regulatory Policy Committee: Works directly with
governments around the world to address technical regulations and their
associated conformance and testing requirements for the ICT sector, and
consider appropriate alternatives.
Standardization Policy Committee: Identifies,
prioritizes, and addresses commercial and public policy issues affecting
voluntary standardization for the information and communications technology
(ICT) sector. The SPC advocates for global, market-led, voluntary standardization
that increases customer value and facilitates ICT market development.
Accessibility Policy Committee: Identifies,
prioritizes, and addresses global public policy issues related to accessibility
for the IT and communications sector. The APC is working towards
the international harmonization of procurement practices and technology
standards for accessibility in order to create a reasonably uniform
global playing field for technology companies and to ensure the availability
of increasingly high quality accessible IT for all people.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Working
Group: RFID
is a technological advancement poised to stimulate significant
economic growth and activity. The existing and potential benefits
to consumers and global markets of RFID as a technology are immense. The
RFID Working Group works to ensure RFID as a technology
that facilitates global trade. It focuses on both the standardization
and public policy issues related to RFID.
Energy and Environment Committee: Educates policy
makers, the media and the public about the critical role information
technology plays in helping government, businesses and consumers manage
and save energy. The E&E Working Group promotes IT as a critical
component in mitigating the environmental impact of electricity generation
and usage.
Technical Regulations Committee: Addresses
the content of ICT standards and their development process when they
are intended for use in regulations. The TRC supports references to
standards that meet the tests of real usage (e.g. responsive to the
real-world, performance-based, technically sound). ITI believes that
standards considered for use in regulations should be developed through
a process that is both open and global.
TC1 – Environment: Brings
together ITI company representatives to monitor and be proactively
engaged in environment/product ecology regulatory & standards requirements
to ensure access to global markets and sufficient representation of
member interests. TC1 addresses selected issues not otherwise addressed
by other trade organizations and helps to reinforce an existing industry
position or effort for which success is critical or at risk.
TC2 – Product Safety: Reviews
requirements and proposals related to standards and test house or regulatory
agency practices in the area of product safety affecting information
technology equipment and lasers; develops ITI positions and makes appropriate
recommendations to Technical Regulatory Committee; establishes and
maintains liaisons with organizations involved in product safety as
required.
TC5 – Electromagnetic Compatibility: Reviews
and assesses the technical requirements and/or proposals being developed
by national and international regulatory agencies, and by consensus standards
organizations in establishing limits and methods of measurements pertaining
to EMC.
TC6 – Product Acoustics: Monitors
and reports on laws, regulations and standards related to product acoustic
noise emissions and measurements; makes recommendations to standards
groups for harmonization of standards; and makes proposals for other
requirements needed for effective implementation.
TC8 – Telecommunications: Reviews, assesses
and influences requirements and/or proposals being developed by national
and international regulatory agencies and work to significantly reduce
barriers to market access and streamline worldwide regulatory approvals. Promotes
Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity, at the global level, toward
facilitating technical innovation and international trade; develops ITI
positions and makes appropriate recommendations to Technical Regulatory
Committee; and establishes and maintains liaison with organizations involved
in wire-line convergence.
Asia Pacific Regulatory Network (APRN): Facilitates
cooperation among members in the Asia pacific region regarding matters
in which there is a common interest; promote the removal of technical
and regulatory barriers to trade in ITI products in the region; encourage
transparency and streamlining in the regulatory process; and extend greater
ITI support to ITI members in Asia.
Latin America Regulatory Network (LARN): Provides
members with a forum to pool information and resources and to combine
and coordinate industry efforts aimed at overcoming common market access
obstacles beyond tariff eliminations/reductions. LARN is managed
under the Regulatory Policy Committee, but also gains participation and
expertise by coordinating with the Technical Regulations Committee and
its subcommittees. Most of the LARN's work is conducted electronically
(e-mail listserv, Web page, and conference calls), with face-to-face
meetings as necessary.
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