New Analyses Warn of Heavy Cost to Consumers and Small Businesses with Proposed Regulation of Online Marketplaces
In the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region, aggressive anti-competition policies to regulate online marketplaces will crush small businesses and cost consumers. Two recent research reports expose the significant increases in regulatory costs and the even greater economic loss for APEC member economies and international trading partners. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), like ACT | The App Association’s members, will feel the impact of digital platform regulations the most, so we are engaging with policymakers across APEC to ensure [...]
ACT | The App Association Disappointed by Commission Announcement that 28th Regime Will Be Directive, Not Regulation
BRUSSELS - The European Commission’s 2026 Work Programme, published today, reveals that the awaited proposal for a ‘28th regime’ as an optional EU-wide company form for startups and scaleups will take the form of a Directive rather than a Regulation. This decision marks a significant shift from earlier expectations and risks undermining the Commission’s own ambition to build a ‘bolder, simpler, and faster’ Union and foster Single Market integration. Mike Sax, founder and chairperson of ACT | The App [...]
Latest Actions by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Squires Weaken the Certainty in the U.S. IP System that Small Businesses Need
WASHINGTON - ACT | The App Association expresses serious concern regarding the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) recently released Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) inter partes review (IPR) procedures and related policy changes, and USPTO Director John Squires announcement today that he will make all decisions regarding institution of proceedings. The NPRM and Director’s announcement, would impose restrictions that undermine a vital mechanism created by Congress to safeguard patent quality [...]
Addressing Digital Trade Barriers Across the Asia-Pacific Region
This year has seen major shifts in U.S. trade policy, and those issues have risen to the top of the agenda for many. Within that bigger picture, digital trade specifically is a key focus. At ACT | The App Association, we’re deeply involved in advocating for digital trade, but it’s not something developers, users, or consumers think about every day. The key question is: why does digital trade matter so much to the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) [...]
State of Confusion: How a Patchwork of AI Laws Hurts Small Businesses and U.S. Competitiveness
updated October 30, 2025 Earlier this year, Congress considered including a temporary moratorium on state artificial intelligence (AI) laws in the federal reconciliation package, but the provision was ultimately dropped. The question of federal AI lawmaking, however, remains an active and important issue. In the absence of a clear federal framework, states are advancing their own AI laws, raising the risk of a fragmented regulatory landscape that could slow innovation and place disproportionate burdens on small businesses developing or adopting AI tools. [...]
ACT | App Association Releases Survey on The Extent of Transatlantic AI Gap and Impact of UK/EU Regulations
EU-style Tech Regulations Set Back UK and European Startups and SMEs from their US counterparts, New Survey Finds Today, ACT | The App Association released new survey results detailing how tech policy and regulations on both sides of the Atlantic are impacting startups and small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States compared to those in the European Union and United Kingdom. The online survey, conducted by Technometrica, polled a total of over 1,000 SMEs on their opinions and [...]