This international trade seminar, "Charting U.S. Trade Policy in the Wake of the 2016 Elections," is part of ASIL's 2016 Midyear Meeting. Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer of Microsoft Corporation, will deliver a keynote address, followed by two panels.
Cross-Border Data Flows and the Digital Economy
The free flow of data across national borders is a major driver of economic growth, productivity, innovation, and social development. At the same time, an increasing number of national and regional authorities have imposed localization mandates and other restrictions on data flows in response to privacy, law enforcement, security and competitiveness concerns. Balancing these competing imperatives represents a challenge to national governments and the global trading system as a whole. The panel will consider what steps should be taken to reconcile these values and how future trade agreements should address these issues.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert W. Holleyman will deliver remarks, followed by a roundtable discussion.
The Global Supply Chain and Human Rights: Promoting Positive Practices and Managing Risk
The increasing reliance of many businesses on complex global supply chains has required the business community to conduct due diligence to ensure that the business practices of their suppliers and subcontractors comply with international human rights, environmental and labor standards – both to prevent abuses and to mitigate risk. The panel will discuss the efficacy of existing codes of conduct and sourcing policies, such as the UN Global Compact and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, as well as the extent to which international trade agreements can and should address these issues. Specific attention will be given to measures by which corporations and their clients mitigate risk.