Information Technology Agreement expansion will foster innovation worldwide

Today, Intel applauds the efforts of the U.S. Trade Representative and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to reach a final agreement on the phase-out periods for the 201 tariff lines covered by the landmark expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA). At the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Kenya, negotiators reached a deal on the specific tariff reduction timeframes for 201 ICT products covered under the expanded ITA. The agreement is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2016. The inclusion of next-generation semiconductors, known as MCOs (multi component semiconductors), and sophisticated manufacturing and testing equipment used in the manufacturing of integrated circuits within the ITA is important to Intel. Equally as important is the potential for broader technological growth made possible by ITA expansion. If the success of the original ITA is any indication, this $1.3 trillion expansion is a significant step forward in strengthening our global economy and fostering innovations through expanded IT trade.