Trade and Freedom of Expression

The rise of digital protectionism and the conflict between rules of the World Trade Organisation and censorship

The principal conflict between rules of world trade and censorship was heightened this summer as the Chinese government was introducing a new regulation demanding spyware technology to be installed on all new laptops on the Chinese market. Yet this is just one of many recent occasions when censorship practices touches upon basic trade rules as they restrict trade and often discriminate against foreign companies. Online services companies often encounter such problems. While the Internet and online media have helped campaigns for freedom of expression in countries like Burma and Iran, many authoritarian governments employ stricter policing of the Internet and electronic communication. As the global economy is ever more oriented towards online and communication services, it becomes important to understand if censorship actually can be squared with rules of world trade. 

You are cordially invited to an afternoon seminar on trade, censorship and emerging digital protectionism. At the seminar a new ECIPE study on trade, censorship and how trade rules may apply to restrictions on the free flow of information on the Internet will be presented. High-level speakers from business and policy will participate and engage in the discussion. 

Programme: 
14:30 Coffee/tea 
15:00 Does censorship violates trade law? Fredrik Erixon/Hosuk Lee-Makiyama  
15:20 Online censorship and policy responses David C, Drummond 
15:40 Trade-policy responses to censorship: Mauro Petriccione – EU view
15:55 Trade-policy responses to censorship: Peter Chase – US view 
16:10 Discussion 
17:00 End 

RSVP no later than November 3 to [email protected]
(NB: There are a limited number of seats available)