Coalition of Services Industries An Overview
Founded over 40 years ago, the Coalition of Services Industries is the leading industry association focused on promoting services and digital trade policy priorities for service suppliers.
We produce tangible, commercially meaningful results by advocating for enhanced market access (for services delivered both on a cross-border basis and through affiliate offices), fair treatment of services and digital trade suppliers in foreign markets, and robust services and digital commitments in trade agreements.
We work globally to obtain solutions to services trade barriers, including by addressing obstacles to market access for trade and investment, promoting cross-border data flows, helping ensure non-discriminatory treatment of US companies, and highlighting the value of regulatory transparency and stakeholder input.
Our members include companies that provide financial services, information and communication technology services, telecom services, express delivery and logistics, media and entertainment, distribution, and professional services to all sectors of the economy, including manufacturing and agriculture.
CSI members include manufacturers of consumer electronics, telecommunications equipment and health and nutrition products. Our members operate in all 50 states and in nearly 200 countries, representing both large and small firms.
CSI also works with counterpart organizations around the globe as co-chair of the Global Services Coalition and the Asia Pacific Services Coalition.
CSI is led by Christine Bliss, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Services, Investment, Telecommunication, and E-Commerce. She served as attorney and lead negotiator on services and financial services in U.S. FTAs, including TPP, in World Trade Organization (WTO) services bilateral accession and Doha Services Negotiations, and bilateral investment treaty negotiations. Under Ms. Bliss’ vision and expertise, CSI is continuing to strengthen its reputation as the lead association representing the interest of international service providers.
Our members include companies, trade associations, and professional associations.
CSI member list
ACT| the App Association
Aflac
AIG
Amazon
American Council of Life Insurers
American Property Casualty Insurance Assoc.
Amway
AT&T
Basilinna
Bookings
BSA | The Software Alliance
Chubb Corporation
Cisco
Citi
Consumer Technology Association
Coupang
DHL Express
eBay Inc.
Entertainment Software Association
IBM
JPMorgan Chase
Liberty Mutual
MasterCard
Meta
MetLife
Microsoft
Motion Picture Association of America
Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.
Reinsurance Association of America
Verizon
Visa International
The Walt Disney Company
White and Case
Wilmer Hale
The Coalition of Services Industries (CSI) strives to advance the following overarching goals in order to improve and strengthen international services trade:
The elimination of specific barriers to entry and to cross-border services is essential to helping U.S. services companies compete in foreign markets. Trade and investment negotiations need to ensure comprehensive market opening commitments and that Parties to trade agreements take as few exceptions as possible to those commitments, particularly with respect to new services.
Additionally, they should include substantive investor protections, including prohibitions on performance requirements, and nondiscrimination against foreign service suppliers. Trade and investment agreements also need to incorporate ratchet mechanisms to lock-in ongoing liberalization governments make in opening their services markets. Overall, trade negotiations should incorporate a negative list approach for all commitments made.
Trade and investment agreements need to include modern rules to ensure the free flow of data across borders, prohibit the forced localization of data storage facilities, and foster trust in technology. While recognizing that governments’ may achieve legitimate privacy and consumer protection objectives in non-discriminatory and non-trade-restrictive ways, countries that otherwise limit companies’ ability to provide digital services or require servers within their borders undermine the competitiveness of their own companies and limit the opportunity of their own consumers to access modern and efficient digital services. Doing business on a global scale requires fair and transparent rules for digital trade.
Strong regulatory transparency and due process provisions are essential elements of all trade agreements. These core provisions are needed to ensure that discriminatory or unduly burdensome rules and regulations are not used to unfairly delay or prevent companies from investing or expanding in new markets.
Comprehensive rules are needed in trade agreements to facilitate trade in services and goods. In today’s globalized economy, one service or good may cross multiple country borders before the final product is complete. Facilitating trade digitally and physically across borders by eliminating unnecessary rules or simplifying burdensome procedures will ensure services and goods are delivered efficiently to customers across the globe.
CSI Staff
Christine Bliss
President
KC Swanson
Vice President
Elsa Hoffacker
Director