The EDPA is committed to driving sustained advocacy efforts to support the exhibitions and events industry. As part of these efforts, we proudly partner with the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) and the Exhibitor Advocate
The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) is a coalition of leading professional, industry, and labor organizations that comprise the unified advocacy voice of the business events industry. The exhibitions, conferences, and trade shows delivered by ECA's alliance partners and their members attract exhibitors, attendees, and buyers from around the world to conduct business in the United States. This dynamic industry employs 2.6 million Americans and drives $399 billion in spending annually.
Click here to learn more about the ECA
The Exhibitor Advocate amplifies the voice of exhibitors to ensure the enduring success of exhibitions and events by collaborating with all stakeholders to promote and cultivate open communication, consistent standards, and industry best practices.
Legislative Action Day
ECA Advocacy Update
By Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance ● Mar 28, 2025
🏀 Welcome to the mid-March Madness edition of the ECA Advocacy Update, where the editor’s top-seeded Auburn Tigers are still alive!
As previewed in the last issue, new international travel inbound entry restrictions will be introduced as soon as today. For a list of potentially impacted countries, click here.
If you want to weigh in with your elected officials on key issues, including tax reform, future workforce, and trade, please visit the ECA Advocacy Network email action center today.
1 big thing: 2 months until #ECALAD!
More than 120 industry leaders and advocates have already registered for ECA Legislative Action Day 2025!
The big picture: On Thursday, May 29, #ECALAD will bring industry leaders and advocates to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, to meet with their elected officials in support of 2 of ECA’s top public policy priorities:
Federal tax reform 💸
Future workforce development 👷
ECA Legislative Action Day will be held alongside 2 great events:
mdg, a Freeman Company Executive Roundtable on “Defining Your Event’s Vision,” which will take place on Tuesday, May 27.
Lippman Connects Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF), which will take place on Wednesday, May 28.
Register for free to join us in Washington, DC, on May 29 here.
Sign up soon! ECA will begin prep webinars, advocate training sessions, and more starting next month.
2. Trade and tariff advocacy update
ECA continues to oppose the more than $1.8 trillion in tariffs proposed so far by the Trump administration.
The bottom line: Tariffs are taxes paid by American businesses and consumers. Period.
That’s why ECA’s 2025 public policy agenda opposes “tariffs that increase costs for industry stakeholders and small businesses.”
On Monday, ECA and 6 of its alliance partners joined more than 300 groups on a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative opposing new tariffs on Chinese ships that would increase shipping container costs by 25%.
Exhibiton Services & Contractors Association
Experiential Designers & Producers Association
International Association of Exhibitions & Events
International Association of Venue Managers
Society of Independent Show Organizers
UFI — The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry
Go deeper: For background on these proposed multimillion-dollar fees, here are overviews from POLITICO and the Washington Post.
Thanks to Nicole Hallada and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers for their leadership on this important issue.
3. Sign ECA’s music licensing letter
Thank you to the 50+ organizations who have signed onto ECA’s music licensing reform letter!
Why it matters: At Congress’s request, the U.S. Copyright Office is collecting information about music performing rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP and BMI.
ECA knows that music licensing has been a pain point for the industry for years. Now is your opportunity to advocate for change!
Get involved: ECA is submitting a letter on behalf of the entire industry to the Copyright Office, and we want your organization to join us.
Sign your organization up before Thursday, April 10 here.
4. ECA hits Capitol Hill with ASAE
On Wednesday, ECA took part in ASAE’s annual Legislative Fly-In.
By the numbers: 170 association leaders from across the U.S. met with members of Congress about 2 of ASAE and ECA’s top tax reform priorities:
Safeguarding the tax-exempt status of non-profit associations and their events.
Expanding 529 college savings programs to cover industry and professional certifications.
ASAE also leads 2 coalitions on these issues that ECA is part of: the Community Impact Coalition and the Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition.
5. In case you missed it
ECA’s Tommy Goodwin will be at the SISO CEO Summit next week with an advocacy update for SISO’s Small Business Roundtable.
ICCA’s Association Readiness Lab, which includes advocacy updates from ECA, will take place in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, April 9. Interested associations can learn more and register here.
Global Meetings Industry Day, which highlights the powerful impact of meetings, trade shows, conferences, and events on people, businesses, and communities, will take place on Thursday, April 3.
