Tech Trade or Digital Drama? The United States, the UK, and the EU

As discussion swirls around America’s trade policy and the Trump administration’s new tariffs, technology policy discussions have concentrated heavily on manufacturing and the goods trade, especially around semiconductors and consumer electronics. Yet digital services have contributed enormously to U.S. exports—and to tensions with some allies, as governments develop diverging approaches on key policy issues. Critical questions remain. Why do the United States and European countries have such different approaches? What are the possible costs of technology policy conflicts with U.S. allies in Europe? How could the United States cooperate effectively with its allies?

On May 8, The National Interest hosted an expert panel discussion with Yaël Ossowksi of the Consumer Choice Center and the Lexington Institute’s Paul Steidler.

—Yaël Ossowski is Deputy Director of the Consumer Choice Center, a fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, and a longtime journalist, analyst, and advocate on technology policy. He recently wrote “How Donald Trump Can Beat Europe’s Tech Regulations” for The National Interest.

—Paul F. Steidler is a Senior Fellow at the Lexington Institute, where his work focuses on federal policy on technology and logistics. His recent work for The National Interest includes “The Case for a U.S.-UK Tech Alliance.”

Paul Saunders, President of the Center for the National Interest, moderated the panel.