<div dir="ltr"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Social media links:<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><u><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a href="https://x.com/PCGTW/status/2001703951398322483" target="_blank">X</a></span></u><span style="color:black"> /</span><u><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pcgtw.bsky.social/post/3maboqe5htc2y" target="_blank"> BSKY</a></span></u><span style="color:black"> /</span><u><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"><a href="https://www.threads.com/@pcglobaltradewatch/post/DSabjOQiVxb" target="_blank"> Threads</a></span></u><span style="color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div id="m_3934511510520480364x_divRplyFwdMsg"><div><p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p></div></div><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:924.96875px;border-collapse:collapse;box-sizing:border-box;border-spacing:0px"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(92,107,120);padding:0in"><div align="center"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" id="m_3934511510520480364x_x_topMessageWrapper" style="width:6.25in;background-color:white;border-collapse:collapse;box-sizing:border-box;border-spacing:0px"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0in"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" id="m_3934511510520480364x_x_topMessageWrapperMainTable" style="width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;box-sizing:border-box;border-spacing:0px"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(3,27,68);padding:5pt"><p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"><img border="0" width="501" height="75" id="m_3934511510520480364_x0000_i1025" src="https://us.vocuspr.com/Publish/3403916/vcsPRAsset_3403916_145433_0e97e371-36db-40f6-89e1-5cbaf162266b_0.png" class="gmail-CToWUd" style="width: 5.2152in; height: 0.7777in;"></span><span style="color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" style="padding:5pt"><h2 align="center" style="margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:18pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://www.citizen.org/news/big-tech-presses-for-expanded-giveaways-in-upcoming-usmca-review/" title="https://www.citizen.org/news/big-tech-presses-for-expanded-giveaways-in-upcoming-usmca-review/" target="_blank">Big Tech Presses for Expanded Giveaways in Upcoming USMCA Review</a></span><span style="color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></h2><p><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">For Immediate Release: December 18, 2025<br>Contact: Emily Leach,<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:eleach@citizen.org" target="_blank">eleach@citizen.org</a> <br><br>WASHINGTON, D.C. —  As the mandatory review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) approaches,<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.citizen.org/article/big-tech-pushes-for-more-giveaways-in-usmca-review/" target="_blank">new analysis</a> of public comments by lobbyists for the tech industry shows that Big Tech is aggressively pushing for even more deregulatory giveaways, despite the agreement already tilting heavily in their favor. <br><br>This analysis comes on the heels of a U.S. Trade Representative<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/2025/Ambassador%20Greer%20Reporting%20to%20Congress%20on%20the%20Operation%20of%20the%20USMCA.pdf" target="_blank">statement</a> released late yesterday which notes the ongoing debate over so-called “digital trade” rules. The statement does not clarify the administration’s plan for the USMCA negotiation, but it does continue to take aim at a number of digital policies on Big Tech’s hit list.<br><br>“It’s not surprising that Big Tech CEOs think they can get Trump to tilt his signature trade agreement even more in their favor,” said<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Global Trade Watch director Melinda St. Louis.</b> “Trump’s trade agenda has put the tech broligarchs ahead of working people at every turn, and now they want his help in further undermining the ability of governments around the world to put any restraints on their runaway power.” <br><br>The submissions of tech industry lobby groups outline key demands, including:</span><span style="color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0in"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt;margin-left:15px"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Preserving the USMCA’s damaging Digital Trade chapter in full</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">, despite evidence that its provisions undermine competition, consumer protection, privacy, and digital rights, and may conflict with existing and proposed U.S. state laws regulating sensitive data exports.</span><u></u><u></u></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt;margin-left:15px;color:black"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Hindering regulation of emerging technologies</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">, including transparency and accountability norms for artificial intelligence systems, despite ongoing debates and the lack of regulatory consensus.</span><u></u><u></u></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt;margin-left:15px;color:black"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Explicitly banning digital services taxes</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>and other revenue-sharing mechanisms, foreclosing efforts to ensure Big Tech companies pay their fair share of taxes where they operate.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Further restricting use of anti-monopoly policies</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>under the guise of “non-discrimination” provisions that block stricter rules for dominant platforms, making it harder to address anti-competitive practices and systemic risk in digital markets.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">This<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.citizen.org/article/big-tech-pushes-for-more-giveaways-in-usmca-review/" target="_blank">new analysis</a> of the additional powers Big Tech seeks in the USMCA review follows an earlier Public Citizen analysis of the egregious terms the industry already secured when Trump first negotiated the agreement:<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.citizen.org/article/making-nafta-worse-giveaways-for-big-tech/" target="_blank">Making NAFTA Worse: Giveaways for Big Tech in the USMCA</a>.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">###</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>