EC to Unveil Cloud Strategy Tomorrow
The European Commission (EC) is finzilzing its strategy on cloud computing and plans to make available the document tomorrow, July 25. The document is aimed at “promoting the use of off-site data storage in a bid to cut information technology costs and create new jobs,” as reported by European media EurActiv.
Specifically, the document will focus on three key areas of cloud computing – data security, copyright, and standardization/global governance. Additionally, the strategy reportedly will call out the U.S. and Japan as partners for developing closer relations on a number of issues, including “application of the tax law to cloud services, international data flows and coordination of data security” among other things. SIIA will make the report available to members when we receive a copy, and we will plan to provide a response as quickly as possible, as there are likely to be various concerns about many of the details.
In other cloud news, the Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s Judiciary Subcommittee on IP and the Internet will hold a broad informational hearing on Wednesday, where SIIA member IBM will be testifying.
Cyber Still Tentatively on Sen. Calendar, But Votes Not Officially Set
Sen. Lieberman (I-CT) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) continue to indicate that the Senate will turn its attention to revised draft legislation of the Cybersecurity act (S. 3414). Although, Sen. Reid has not established an official timeline for Senate action, staff has indicated that the Senate will likely move to the bill this week, following the conclusion of votes on taxes, which is likely to come as early as Wednesday or Thursday, and a procedural vote to move the bill to the floor is expected the following Monday. In the meantime, Sen. Lieberman and additional cosponsors Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) held a press conference this afternoon touting the compromises made in this latest draft and urging quick action.
If there is sufficient support in the Senate to pass S. 3414, it will then need to be conferenced with House legislation passed earlier this year, where there is likely to be little support for the Senate legislation’s call for security guidelines for critical infrastructure providers. Notably, changes in the new Senate draft legislation have been successful in removing substantial opposition from CDT and other privacy advocates that had previously opposed the information sharing provisions of the legislation.
Earlier this year SIIA urged the Senate to move quickly to enact narrow, bipartisan consensus legislation, and we are currently reviewing the latest draft comprehensive legislation.
USTR Seeks Formal Input on Mexico, Canada Participation in TPP
On Monday, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a request for public comments and issued a notice of public hearing on negotiating objectives with respect to Mexico and Canada‘s participation in the ongoing negotiations of a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. The notices followed an earlier decision by President Obama to begin negotiations with Canada and Mexico in the context of the ongoing negotiations of the TPP, with the objective to “achieve a high-standard, 21st century agreement with a membership and coverage that provides economically significant market access opportunities for America’s workers, manufacturers, service suppliers, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses.”
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David LeDuc is Senior Director, Public Policy at SIIA. He focuses on e-commerce, privacy, cyber security, cloud computing, open standards, e-government and information policy. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team on Twitter at @SIIAPolicy