Government officials and development advocates are increasingly aware that the domestic policy space necessary to promote e-commerce for development, and some proposed rules on e-commerce in the WTO, may represent different policy priorities.
There are many unknowns regarding the technological advances ahead, and therefore the digital economy. This session will examine the positive and negative implications of some WTO proposals for a variety of laws, policies and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
It will analyse the implications of the proposed e-commerce rules including on data and other localization requirements, access to source code, and other provisions, on privacy, small and medium enterprises, financial regulation, agricultural development, tax revenue, and jobs, including on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and with particular regard to the potential for structural transformation of African countries. It also will evaluate the proposition that data should be borderless and that it should flow freely.
If data is the world’s most valuable commodity, should it be transferred across borders for free, or should the producers of the raw material be compensated, as is the case with other commodities?
This session will also provide specific analysis of the potential implications for development policy regarding both agriculture policy and financial stability, given the importance of these topics in development and the relative lack of research on their relationship to e-commerce.
Session chair: Mr. Richard Hill, Association for Proper Internet Governance
Speakers:
Ms. Sanya Reid Smith, Legal advisor and Senior Researcher, Third World Network
Ms. Vahini Naidu, Counsellor, South African Permanent Mission, Geneva
Ms. Jane Kelsey, Professor of Law, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Ms. Sofia Scasserra, Principal Assistant in Economic and International Trade Issues, UNI Americas, Argentina
