As the information society and the digital economy gain momentum, there is an increasingly urgent need for reliable data and indicators regarding ICT readiness, use and impact. Such data help policy makers to formulate policies and strategies for ICT-driven growth and to monitor and evaluate ICT-related developments. They also allow developing countries to benchmark their information economies with those of developed countries and to take policy decisions to narrow the digital divide.
Developing reliable and internationally comparable statistics on ICT use, especially by the business sector, has received much attention at the national and international levels. In particular, the World Summit on the Information Society, which is being held in two phases (Geneva, December 2003, and Tunis, November 2005), will require monitoring of progress made between the two phases.
It is crucial to bring ICT data into the realm of official statistics so that current global gaps in the data can be identified and closed. The Expert Meeting on Measuring Electronic Commerce will bring together representatives from national statistical offices, international organizations and other institutes involved in information society measurements. The meeting provides a framework for introducing developing countries´ views into the existing debates and initiatives on e-statistics; identifying key indicators on ICT usage; and exploring the need for future work to establish an international database on ICT usage and e-business.
