As discussions around digital trade intensify globally, IAB Canada welcomes the opportunity to provide input into Canada’s proposed negotiations with the EU on a digital trade agreement and is pleased to see continued progress on U.S.-Canada trade talks.

We strongly support the need for balanced and fair outcomes that allow Canadian businesses to build, innovate, and export digital products and services across borders. In this context, we continue to advocate for the complete legislative repeal of the Digital Services Tax (DST), which created significant administrative burden for industry. While the recent withdrawal is a positive step, time and effort will be required to unwind its implementation. For this reason, clear legislative assurances are essential to ensure the DST does not resurface as we pursue more harmonized cross-border frameworks.

As we look ahead to EU negotiations, we are closely monitoring the evolving “Consent or Pay” discussion. Notably, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) is expected to finalize new guidelines shortly. The proposed inclusion of a mandatory “third alternative”—offering content without personalized advertising—may set a precedent for global digital markets and raises important considerations for Canadian publishers.

We remain engaged in global working groups through the IAB network, including those focused on GDPR and AI, and are committed to supporting our members through these evolving policy landscapes.

In the meantime, we are celebrating the ICO’s recent endorsement of IAB Tech Lab’s Data Deletion Request Framework (DDRF). This is a first-of-its-kind recognition from one of the world’s leading data protection regulators, and a powerful validation of IAB Tech Lab’s role in building practical, scalable solutions that support compliance with global privacy laws.

IAB Canada will continue to provide updates and welcomes member feedback as these important files progress.

If you would like to discuss this further, please reach out to us at [email protected].