The UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-commerce and the Digital Economy is a UN forum for dialogue, research, and policy-making to help developing countries benefit from the digital economy, bridge the digital divide, and build inclusive knowledge societies.
It strengthens UNCTAD's work by bringing together experts to share best practices, develop policy recommendations, and support capacity building for data measurement and e-commerce strategies to achieve sustainable development goals.
The substantive agenda items for the session
- Strengthening fiscal revenues in developing countries in the context of electronic commerce (e-commerce) and digital trade.
- Working Group on Measuring E-commerce and the Digital Economy.
Written contributions
To facilitate deliberations and the informal exchange of experiences and good practices on the topics to be discussed, member States and observers are encouraged to submit written contributions to the UNCTAD secretariat by Friday, 24 April 2026, at ecde@unctad.org.
Written contributions that share experiences, good practices and forward-looking suggestions with regard to the fiscal policy opportunities and challenges of the digital economy, as well as related policies, are welcome, to inform the discussion on the first substantive agenda item, based on the following guiding questions approved by the Trade and Development Board at its seventy-second session:
- What challenges and opportunities in relation to revenue are the digital economy, e-commerce and digital trade presenting for policymakers and tax administrations?
- How can digital solutions be leveraged to improve the collection of fiscal revenue?
- What are good practices for involving e-commerce platforms on the use of indirect taxation of e-commerce?
- How can the international community strengthen the readiness of developing countries to use taxation in the area of e-commerce and digital trade?
Participation
This session is open to all member States of UNCTAD. Other organizations, including specialized agencies, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations in the general and special categories, as well as academia and the private sector, may participate as observers.
Registration
Online registration at is mandatory for all those wishing to attend the meeting and is required in order to be included in the list of participants.
Logistics
The session will be held with physical participation, in room Tempus of the Palais des Nations. Those who cannot attend the meeting in person will be able to listen to the live audio stream in the six official languages of the United Nations.
The link to listen live will be sent to registered participants, at the email address used for registration, one day in advance of the start of the session.
