Supporting Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Business and Startup Growth and Job Creation by Making the WTO Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions Permanent
The global Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise community has come together to urge World Trade Organization (WTO) members to make the Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions permanent during the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), which is taking place 26 to 29 February 2024 in Abu Dhabi.We welcome any MSME organization interested in supporting the permanence of moratorium, which has been a foundation for digital economy growth and prosperity. To join this letter, please contact Brian Scarpelli at [email protected]. [...]
Developers Write Software, Parents Parent—Government Should Do Neither
Last week, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) hosted a listening session as part of its ongoing work on child safety online. This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee hosts a hearing on Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis. In both discussions, policymakers were urged to make app stores liable for providing parental notice when a child wants to download an app. The problems with this idea are that (1) to the extent it requires age verification, [...]
For EU Developers, App Store DMA Compliance Plan Presents Choices
Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association, statement on Apple’s App Store DMA compliance plans: “Following the passage of the DMA, we have been waiting to see what the compliance plans would mean for our members. Our global members with EU clients and customers got some of their answers this week. “With more than 600 new APIs, a comprehensive cost calculator, and a pretty clear roadmap on tradeoffs, developers have spent the past week absorbing Apple’s announcement. For [...]
The European Green Deal hinges on the new SEP regulation
Startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are crucial to Europe's green transition, creating internet of things (IoT) devices like smart sensors and carbon footprint trackers to enhance energy efficiency. These businesses need fair licensing of standard technologies to thrive. As the European Parliament deliberates on the proposed EU Regulation on Standard-Essential Patents (SEPs), our members urge lawmakers to vote for this vital regulation. Dear Honourable Members of the European Parliament, We, the undersigned members of ACT | The App [...]
For Entrepreneurs, Anti-Merger Enforcement Policies Hurt Small Business
Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association, statement on the announcement that Amazon and iRobot agreed to terminate Amazon’s pending acquisition of iRobot: “For our members and fellow innovators, acquisition is a critical path for future growth. Today’s announcement that Amazon is being forced to terminate the acquisition of iRobot is a dangerous signal to entrepreneurs and financial backers that opportunities to succeed are being artificially limited. “A barrier to exit is a barrier to entry. When entrepreneurs [...]