Leading EU and US policy makers gathered in Brussels on 30 January at the Annual EU-US Trade Conference. Tod Cohen, eBay Inc.'s Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Global Government Relations, spoke on the plenary panel to discuss measures which can be taken to ensure that the planned EU-US Free Trade Agreement (the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership, or TTIP) helps small businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic benefit from online trade.

In his introduction, Tod pointed out that online commerce is bringing about new trade patterns by significantly reducing the cost of connecting, communicating, establishing trust, transacting, and paying across distance. Tod emphasized that these new trade flows are leading to greater consumer choice and allowing small business to participate fully in global trade. In order to encourage these benefits, Tod recommended that policymakers take measures such as increasing de minimis and customs duty thresholds, and introducing business-to-consumer dispute resolution mechanisms.

Peter Vicary-Smith, President of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) echoed Tod’s message, asserting that TTIP presents an opportunity to develop a strong, pro-consumer trade deal. The EU's Chief Negotiator for TTIP, Ignacio Garcia Bercero, agreed that the deal must help small businesses, and highlighted that much of the focus in the negotiations will be on cutting red tape.

Learn more about eBay's work on enabling technology-enabled small businesses to participate in global trade.