Cloudflare has submitted a report to the U.S. government, warning that foreign site blocking efforts are acting as digital trade barriers. In a submission for the 2026 National Trade Estimate Report, the company highlights that systems such as Italy’s automated Piracy Shield are disrupting legitimate services, blocking tens of thousands of websites. Similar overbroad IP address blocks in Spain, as well as new automated blocking proposals in France, are also causing significant harm to U.S. business interests. Cloudflare urges the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to consider these concerns, arguing that such measures should be dismantled. These calls run counter to the requests from rightsholders, who push for stronger foreign blocking efforts. With site-blocking legislation being examined in U.S. Congress, the potential impact on local lobbying efforts is significant. As the U.S. government prepares its draft for the National Trade Estimate Report, the outcome of these discussions will become clearer in the coming months. The decision on whether these trade barriers will be addressed will ultimately be revealed when the 2026 National Trade Estimate Report is published early next year.
Cloudflare’s concerns raise important questions about the balance between intellectual property enforcement and digital trade. The company argues that broad blocking measures can lead to collateral damage, affecting legitimate services and undermining international trade. Meanwhile, rightsholders and content creators are arguing that such measures are necessary to combat piracy and protect their interests. This growing divide highlights the complex nature of digital trade policy and how it influences global commerce and technological development. As the U.S. government weighs its options, the implications of its decisions could impact the regulatory landscape for international digital services and trade.