IT trade bodies merge

12:58 15th September 2008

Two of the world's largest technology trade organisations have confirmed that they are in merger talks.

The American Electronics Association (AEA) and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) want to combine resources to lobby the US government for better treatment of the IT and electronics sector.

The AEA has traditionally lobbied on hardware issues and the ITAA on the software industry; however, some felt that this led to a lack of focus and influence and the groups had become frustrated with recent failures.

Deirdre Hanford, AEA chairman, said: "Convergence, consolidation and the change brewing in Washington require us to speak with a louder and clearer voice.

Last week, the European Information Technology Observatory predicted that the world IT market will grow in 2008 and 2009, despite the current economic turbulence.

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