Inside US Trade - U.S. to end support for WTO e-commerce proposals Inside US Trade reports that the U.S. will announce it is withdrawing its support for proposals on disciplines around data flows, data localization and source code so as to ensure it retains regulatory and legislative policy space to govern these areas. This move is likely to significantly reduce the ambition of the plurilateral agreement, though some have argued it may make consensus easier by effectively taking off the table some of the most contentious provisions.

WTO - E-commerce co-convenors to issue updated negotiating text Co-convenors of e-commerce talks said they intend to circulate before the summer break an updated negotiating text, which will show the progress achieved so far in finding “landing zones”.

WTO - E-commerce negotiations maintain positive momentum, focus on key issues An update on the e-commerce negotiation meetings on 22-25 May 2023 during which key issues such as data flow, data localisation and development were discussed.

GTP - New E-Learning course on e-commerce negotiation terminology The Geneva Trade Platform has created a free 90 minute e-learning on the technical terms used in e-commerce related negotiations, including many of those in this plurilateral.

WTO - Negotiations on e-commerce advance, eyeing a statement at MC12 The co-convenors of the negotiations on e-commerce — Australia, Japan and Singapore — said at a meeting on 10 November they plan to issue a statement on behalf of the participating members to take stock of the work achieved so far. The statement, to be issued at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), will also reiterate the commitment to achieving an ambitious agreement on e-commerce and set targets for work in the year ahead. Members also heard updates from facilitators of small group discussions and reviewed text proposals for the e-commerce agreement.

WTO - Members continue review of LDC services waiver, e-commerce work programme The 1 July meeting of the Council on Trade in Services addressed the WTO work programme on e-commerce and the operationalization of a waiver from WTO rules that allows members to offer more favourable market access for service providers from least developed countries (LDCs). Members also reviewed services-related notifications submitted by a number of WTO members and addressed several services-related trade concerns. They also discussed issues related to services domestic regulation and implementation of services commitments at separate meetings of the Council’s subsidiary bodies.

IISD - WTO Members Participating in E-commerce Talks Arrive at “Clean Text” on E-signatures, Authentication World Trade Organization (WTO) members participating in the joint statement initiative (JSI) process on e-commerce announced they have finalized a “clean” negotiating text on e-signatures and authentication, which seeks to ensure that electronic signatures used in online transactions “are not denied their value or legal effect because they are submitted in electronic format.”

WTO - Report looks at role of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic The WTO Secretariat has published a new information note looking at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected e-commerce, including the implications for cross-border trade. It notes the increased use of e-commerce as consumers adapt to lockdowns and social distancing measures and draws attention to several challenges, such as the need to bridge the digital divide within and across countries.

IISD - Negotiations Make Progress on Spam World Trade Organization (WTO) members continued negotiations on electronic commerce, which aim to facilitate digital trade and build on existing WTO agreements and frameworks. Finalization of the joint statement initiative (JSI) process on e-commerce and facilitation of digital trade are anticipated to play a key role in economic recovery from COVID-19.

WTO - Members agree to extend e-commerce, non-violation moratoriums WTO members meeting as the General Council agreed on 10 December to extend two existing moratoriums related to customs duties on electronic transmissions and the initiation of “non-violation” complaints under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

CUTS and IISD - The Evolving Context and Dynamics of the WTO Joint Initiative on E-commerce Author: Yasmin Ismail

The fifth-year stocktake and prospects for 2023. This brief aims to give a stocktake of the JSI on e-commerce as of December 2022 while focusing on dynamics and developments throughout the year and considering recent trends in the e-commerce policy activity and governance landscape at the national, regional, and multilateral levels.

CUTS International - Addressing the Gender Dimension of E-commerce This study examines the gender dimension in E-commerce, identifying the main gender gaps in the e-commerce ecosystem. It also looks through a gendered lens at the emerging e-commerce policies and regulations from the national to the international level. The aim is to generate a deeper understanding of the gender perspectives of E-commerce and to develop a holistic framework for addressing the current gender gaps through appropriate policies and regulations.

Human Rights Economics - How can WTO talks on e-commerce benefit women? If only we knew Author: Caroline Dommen

E-commerce is touted as offering new and advantageous opportunities for women. But what do WTO negotiations on the topic really hold for women’s rights? This piece argues that despite the hype, there is still precious little information in the public domain about the initiative's true benefits for women.

IISD - Negotiating Services Market Access under the E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative This policy brief aims to help developing countries establish a more comprehensive understanding of the ongoing trade in services market access negotiations under the E-commerce JSI. The brief
starts by providing a general view of the requests submitted for liberalizing trade in services, their proponents, and the concerned sectors and modes of supply. It unpacks challenges impacting the
progress of the negotiations. The brief then explores the opportunities and challenges associated with further commitments by developing countries under the JSI. Finally, the brief provides
some guiding questions to help developing countries assess their interests and formulate their negotiating positions.

OECD - The OECD Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index The OECD Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (Digital STRI) is a new tool that identifies, catalogues, and quantifies cross-cutting barriers that affect services traded digitally.

OECD - Mapping commonalities in regulatory approaches to cross-border data transfers This paper identifies the commonalities, complementarities and elements of convergence in the different instruments for moving data across borders, with the aim of supporting international dialogue and co-operation on more predictable and transparent combinations of data flows and “trust”.

EAF - Managing digital trade in Asia An overview of the efforts being made to liberalize and harmonize rules in trade in digital services, and why these should be encouraged as a positive step forward for economies in Asia.

EAF - East Asia leads e-commerce and the digital trade revolution East Asian trade is set to rise even further in importance because the scale of the region’s economic recovery is larger and faster than anywhere else. Asia was already the second most integrated regional trade network after the European Union in 2019, with regional trade at 58 per cent of total trade. East Asia’s trading system is likely to become more inclusive and sustainable with its rapid shift to digital platforms.

WEF - Advancing Data Flow Governance in the Indo-Pacific: Four Country Analyses and Dialogues This paper summarizes highlights from workshops on data transfer governance and digital growth in the Philippines, Thailand, India and Viet Nam. These discussions served to review national data policy developments and identify avenues for facilitating data transfers.

IISD - E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative Negotiations Among World Trade Organization Members This brief builds on an earlier note published in 2020 that provided an update on the e-commerce Joint Statement Initiative negotiations among a group of WTO members. It describes how the negotiations have been affected by the new context of COVID-19 and highlights the pandemic’s impacts on e-commerce, economic development, and gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) aspects. Finally, the brief gives an overview of the negotiations’ key issues where there are indications of convergence, and others where divergence remains, as the group prepares for the WTO’s Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12).

UNCTAD - What is at stake for developing countries in trade negotiations on e-commerce? This report aims to provide evidence that can help the developing world acquire better understanding on the implication of the ongoing JSI negotiations in the WTO to their development prospect. By focusing on the development implications of aspects that may be covered in a possible negotiation outcome, it seeks to offer valuable inputs that can help countries assess various options for harnessing e-commerce for sustainable development.

Dalberg/SECO - New evidence on the impact of customs duties for digitizable products and electronic transmissions. The cases of Egypt and Vietnam Author: Nicolas Köhler-Suzuki

This study looks at the flow of digitizable goods imports in Egypt and Vietnam and the potential customs revenue impacts thereof. It finds that applying customs duties on digitized goods would likely lead to insignificant revenue generation and recommends a cross-border VAT collection as a potential alternative option.

WEF - Facilitation 2.0: Trade and Investment in the Digital Age [Lessons from Papua New Guinea] This report showecases the Facilitation 2.0 initiative, piloted in Papua New Guinea, which aims to advance practical, business-driven reforms at the intersection of trade facilitation, investment, and e-commerce.

WEF - Connecting Digital Economies: Policy Recommendations for Cross-Border Payments This report provides governments with concrete recommendations to promote inclusive growth in the digital economy.

UNCTAD - The COVID-19 Crisis: Accentuating the Need to Build Digital Divides Improved Internet connectivity and skills have helped many countries to cope with the health and economic crisis from COVID-19. Yet the pandemic has raised the bar for the digital transition and underscores the need to close the digital divides that risk leaving some people and firms worse off than others in a post-COVID world, according to the OECD report.

OECD - Electronic transmissions and international trade - shedding new light on the moratorium debate The debate about whether or not to extend the WTO Moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions has, to date, narrowly focused on its potential customs revenue implications. This paper sets out to broaden and deepen this debate. First, by putting current estimates of the customs revenue implications into perspective, showing that potential losses tend to be low relative to overall government revenue. Second, by deepening the debate on the cost of tariffs, arguing that these are unstable sources of revenue, that they are associated with lower output and productivity and that their burden falls mainly on domestic consumers, not foreign firms. Third, by broadening the debate to consider the benefits associated with electronic transmissions, including growing consumer welfare and export competitiveness. The paper argues that, overall, the revenue
implications of the Moratorium are likely to be relatively small and that its lapse would come at the expense of wider gains in the economy.

WEF - The Global Governance of Online Consumer Protection and E-commerce This paper offers a brief overview of the online consumer protection landscape and the actors within it. It identifies specific forms of online consumer protection and outlines efforts to boost regulatory coherence at the regional and global level – including through trade policy.

WEF - Paperless Trading: How Does It Impact the Trade System? This white paper, co-published with the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and e-Business (UN/CEFACT), provides an overview of the efforts governments are making to ensure interoperability of emerging paperless trading systems, and offers inputs for future developments.

WEF - Making Deals in Cyberspace: What’s the Problem? This White Paper aims to build the knowledge of current e-transaction and e-signature rules by evaluating how these apply in national and international commercial contexts. It aims to bridge perspectives from business, legal experts and trade policy-makers to deepen understanding on potential trade policy interventions that could boost regulatory coherence.