On Saturday, February 21, U.S. President Obama gave his weekly address to the nation. This week’s address focused on the importance of modernizing U.S. trade policy and enabling American businesses to access the global marketplace. During his remarks, the President discussed how many small businesses are using the Internet and marketplaces such as eBay to export their goods around the world.
“More small businesses are using the Internet to grow their business by reaching new customers they couldn’t reach before, too”, said the President. “As an example, nine in ten American small businesses that use eBay as a platform to sell their products are exporters – with customers in more than 30 different countries on average.”
eBay Inc. agrees that global trade rules should be updated to ensure that small businesses can participate in global commerce. In fact, over 100 eBay-enabled small businesses recently sent a letter to President Obama commending him for his commitment to pursue an ambitious trade agenda this year and calling for the modernization of the United States’ trade policies.
eBay Inc. has also been a leading voice in trade policy debates across the globe. Last February, CEO John Donahoe and U. S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker announced a partnership for U.S. trade and investment expansion. The partnership is focused on increasing awareness of the economic benefits of trade, and specifically the important role that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) play in growing America’s export economy. Additionally, John Donahoe has used his appointment to the President’s Export Council (PEC) to drive policy recommendations that prioritize technology-enabled small business trade.
To watch the President’s weekly address, please click here. For more information on eBay Inc.’s position on trade and how you can get involved, please visit the Action Center on the eBay Inc. Main Street website, or contact the eBay Inc. Government Relations team directly at government_relations@ebay.com.