VIR20-16

Sessions and Objectives

Overview of e-commerce discussions at the WTO : Work Programme on Electronic Commerce

Date: 26/11/2020 Duration: 1.5 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: This session will provide participants with the background and history of the e-commerce discussions at the WTO, from the establishment of the Work Programme on E-commerce in 1998 to the more recent developments in the e-commerce discussion.

Category: Improve general understanding of the WTO

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: Based on participants' responses to the evaluation form, the session was successful in setting the background of the e-commerce discussions at the WTO. The session received high ratings and all participants considered that its objective was achieved fully or to a large extent.

  • Indicator: Participation – frequency and quality of the interventions / questions raised, contribution to group work

    Evidence: Although there was less interaction in this session than in subsequent ones, it is clear, from the feedback received, that participants appreciated the overview and found it useful for the subsequent sessions. The lower level of interaction can be attributed to the fact that it was the first session and participants were still getting used to the platform and the virtual environment. Questions raised mainly focused on the impact of the moratorium on development.

Conclusion: This session was useful in setting the scene for the webinar.

Results: Fully

The moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions

Date: 25/11/2020 Duration: 1.5 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: This session will provide an overview of the issues that Members have raised in relation to e-commerce. It will especially focus on the issues surrounding the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions and the different considerations regarding its extension.

Category: Improve general understanding of the WTO

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: The session received high ratings from the participants, with 67% of respondents indicating that it fully met the intended objective.

  • Indicator: Participation – frequency and quality of the interventions / questions raised, contribution to group work

    Evidence: The session enjoyed a high level of engagement. Participants showed a keen interest in better understanding the issues related to the moratorium and its impact. Questions focused on Members' positions with regard to the extension of the moratorium, the scope of the moratorium and its relation to internal taxes.

Conclusion: Based on participants' assessment and engagement, this session fully met its objective.

Results: Fully

Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce: overview of objectives and discussions

Date: 30/11/2020 Duration: 1.5 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: This session will look at the launch of discussions by a group of Members under the Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce and will explore the background, participants and objectives of this initiative.

Category: Improve general understanding of the WTO

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: In their evaluation, participants indicated that the session was useful in explaining and setting out the objectives of the JSI discussions. Participants appreciated the clarity of the presentation and the details offered on the process and the context that led to the JSI negotiations.

  • Indicator: Participation – frequency and quality of the interventions / questions raised, contribution to group work

    Evidence: Participants raised pertinent questions and showed particular interest in the issues raised in the negotiations, the structure of the discussions and the prospects for a multilateral agreement.

Conclusion: Based on participants' evaluation, the session was effective in providing useful insight into the process that led to the launch of the JSI e-commerce negotiations, and the way they are structured.

Results: Fully

Session 4 : Overview of the issues identified in the Joint Statement discussions

Date: 03/12/2020 Duration: 1.5 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: This session will look at the issues that are being discussed under the JSI, with a focus on some of the main issues identified under five broad areas: enabling e-commerce; openness and e-commerce; trust and e-commerce; cross cutting issues, including development, transparency and cooperation; telecommunications; and market access and customs duties on electronic transmissions.

Category: Improve general understanding of the WTO

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: Participants gave positive rating for this session and indicated that they appreciated delving deeper into some of the issues raised in the context of the JSI negotiations. Some noted that they would have liked to see and discuss some of the specific proposals and the stocktake text. However, due to the fact that some of these documents are restricted and some of the participants were observers, we could not share all the relevant documents.

  • Indicator: Participation – frequency and quality of the interventions / questions raised, contribution to group work

    Evidence: Participants actively engaged in the Q&A session and posed a number of questions, focusing again on the issue of the moratorium and how it relates to internal taxation, and on potential outcomes for MC12. The participant from Egypt shared his government's new customs law that included an article dealing with customs issues related to e-commerce.

Conclusion: The session was overall successful. Due to time available and the nature of the JSI discussions, it was not possible to go into the details of each proposal in the presentations, but further details on specific topics were provided during the Q&A session.

Results: To a large extend