Announced U.S. – EU Trade Deal is a Mixed Bag for Small Tech Companies and App Developers
Statement from Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association: “We are relieved to see the EU’s commitment not to adopt or maintain network usage fees and pleased with their decision to maintain zero customs duties on software and digital goods,” said Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association. “Unfortunately, the announced details of the U.S.-EU trade deal do not include any action to reduce EU regulatory burdens, like the Digital Markets Act or the AI [...]
New UK Consultation on SEPs: What Startups and SMEs Need to Know
The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a consultation on Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), running from 15 July to 7 October 2025. The IPO’s goal is to improve transparency, fairness, and efficiency in how SEPs are licensed, something that could have a big impact on startups and scaleups navigating today’s digital economy. The IPO’s consultation represents a major effort by the UK government to fix systemic issues in SEP licensing, including opaque rates, dubious essentiality claims, and costly, drawn‑out [...]
ACT | The App Association Statement on the White House’s Announced AI Action Plan
“The President’s announced AI Action plan is an important step forward in ensuring the United States remains the global leader in AI development,” said Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association. “The plan’s emphasis on supporting scientific AI research, prioritizing a secure-by-design approach, and investing in the workforce will benefit small app developers and emerging technology companies that are creating and using AI tools today to compete.” The App Association supports many of the priorities in the [...]