05 April 2019
Geneva
, Switzerland
Description
A group of 76 (counting EU member States individually) out of 164 WTO members representing over 90 per cent of world trade agreed, through a Joint Statement at the Ministerial meeting at Davos, Switzerland, on 25 January 2019, to launch plurilateral negotiations on trade-related aspects of electronic commerce (e-commerce). The negotiations aim to facilitate e-commerce and digital trade. Questions to be addressed by the panelists- What are the pros and cons of the plurilateral WTO negotiations on e-commerce against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem and regulatory environment?
- What outcome and level of ambition should we expect from the negotiations?
- How best can different national regulatory approaches and policy priorities be reconciled in the negotiations, particularly in those areas of high importance to developing countries (e.g., digital divide, digital industrialization objectives)?
- How prepared are developing countries and LDCs to participate in the e-commerce negotiations?
What rules and measures are needed to enable developing countries to draw effective benefits form the negotiations? - How can UNCTAD contribute to developing countries’ efforts in this regard?
Speakers
- Mr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General, UNCTAD (to open the panel discussion)
- H. E. Ms. Frances Lisson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the WTO (confirmed)
- H. E. Mr. Kham-Inh Khitchadeth, Ambassador & Permanent Representative of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to the WTO (confirmed)
- H.E. Mr. J. S. Deepak, Ambassador & Permanent Representative of India to the WTO (tbc)
- Mr. Paulo Garzotti, Deputy Permanent Representative of the EU to the WTO (confirmed)
- H.E. Mr. Eloi Laourou, Ambassador & Permanent Representative of Benin to the WTO (confirmed)</li
- Mr. Teddy Soobramanien, Head, Hub and Spokes Programme and Economic Adviser Multilateral Trade, Commonwealth Secretariat (confirmed)
Moderator
- Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Ambassador & Permanent Representative of China the WTO
Co-organizer(s):
Commonwealth Secretariat
Language(s)
English |
Contact
Ms. Liping Zhang, Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy, Division on Trade and Commodities, phone: 0229175701 email: liping.zhang@unctad.org
Mr. Taisuke Ito, Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy, Division on Trade and Commodities, phone: 0229174893 email: taisuke.ito@unctad.org
