99-2825 MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/130
7 July 1999
 WTO SYMPOSIUM TO DISCUSS TRADE PROSPECTS AND ISSUES  FACING THE
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECTOR
A WTO Symposium on Information Technology on 16 July 1999 will bring together industry
representatives and trade officials to discuss prospects and practical trade issues facing the most
dynamic sector of world trade.
The purpose of the IT Symposium is to share information about the dynamism of IT and its
future; explain the role of IT in promoting economic growth and development; and highlight the value
of the application of IT, drawing on examples  from developed and developing countries.
Speakers at the one-day Symposium include representatives from a variety of companies in
the IT field such as Motorola, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Macronix, Alcatel, Hitachi, Ericsson, NortelNetworks, and Telsa Telecomunikace. Both developed and developing-country perspectives will be
presented by industry representatives from countries across the globe, including Canada, Chinese
Taipei, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Estonia, European Communities, India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia,
Philippines, and the United States. Speakers on international standards will include representatives
from the International Electrotechnical Commission, the Australian Electrical and ElectronicManufacturers Association, and the Canadian Advisory Council on Electrical Safety.
Director in Charge of the WTO, Mr. David Ha rtridge, will open the Symposium, which will
be chaired by Mr. Heinz Opelz, Director of the Market Access Division of the WTO Secretariat.
WTO Chief Economist, Mr. Patrick Low will give an introductory presentation on international tradein IT products.PRESS/130
Page 2/3
MOREThe Symposium, which will be held at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, is divided into four panels
dealing with the following subjects:
• Overview of the IT industry, technological advances/trends, innovative business
applications;
• Contribution of IT to economic growth and development and the role of trade in the
mutual reinforcement of global and national IT policies;
• Practical problems encountered in IT trade (including the possibility of presenting case
studies, e.g. import licensing) and the broader effects of non-tariff measures; and
• The implications of current approaches to standards making and conformity assessment
(review developments in international standards and other relevant bodies).
For registration information, please contact Ms. Jane Mackenzie of the WTO Secretariat,
telephone no. 7395391, fax no. 7395770, or e-mail address itsymposium@wto.org . Journalists
interested in attending the Symposium should contact the Information and Media Relations Division,
tel. 7395007.
The complete programme of the WTO Information Technology Symposium follows.PRESS/130
Page 4
MOREWTO Information Technology Symposium
16 July 1999
Annotated Agenda
PURPOSE:
1. Share information about the dynamism of IT and its future:  recent R&D development,
technology trends and anticipated products/services
2. Explain the role of IT in promoting econom ic growth and development and IT's expanding
contribution to the infrastructure for a global information economy.
3. Highlight the value of the application of IT, drawing on examples from developed and
developing countries:
- For business competitiveness for large and small business;
- For government, and
-U s e r s .
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS:
The Director-General of the WTO, or the Dire ctor in Charge, will open the symposium with
introductory remarks.  The Symposium will be chaired by Mr. Heinz Opelz, Director, Market Access
Division.  There will be four issue-oriented panel sessions on the subjects outlined by participants.
PROGRAM:
Morning Session
9:00 Introduction:  Director-General of the WTO or Director in Charge
9:15 I.  Overview of the IT industry, technological advances/trends, innovative business
applications
"International Trade in IT Products"
Mr. Patrick Low (WTO Secretariat)
Director, Economic Research and Analysis
WTO
Geneva, Switzerland
"The Philippine IT Plan:  Prospects and Problems"
Mr. Claro Parlade
Senior Partner
Benitez Parlade Africa Herrera Parlade & Panga Law Offices
Makati City, PhilippinesPRESS/130
Page 5
MORE"Contribution of IT Industry to Economic Development – An Israeli Perspective"
Mr. Hanan AchsafPresident
Motorola Israel
Tel Aviv, Israel
"Production of Digital Telecommunications Systems in the Czech Republic"
Mr. Ivan Říčař
Director General
TTC TESLA TELECOMUNIKACE
Prague, Czech Republic
"Creation of New Industry by Digital Conversions"
Mr. Takashi KubotaDirector & Senior Chief Engineer
Corporate Technology, Digital Media
Hitachi, Ltd.
--followed by a general discussion
11:00 II. Contribution of IT to economic growth and development and the role of trade in the
mutual reinforcement of glob al and national IT policies
"ICT Indicators Over the Period of the 90s".
Mr. Linnar Viik
Director of Product Development and Marketing
Levicom Broadband
Tallinn, Estonia
"The Effects of Trade Liberalization of IT Products in the Development of Software and Hi-
Tech Industries:  A Developing Country's Experience"
Mr. Alejandro Montalvo
President of Costa Rican Chamber of Software Developers
Costa Rica
"The Death of the Productivity Paradox:  The Explosive Impact of IT on the US Economy".
Mr. Leslie Simon
Public Policy Scholar
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Washington, DC, USA
[title of presentation to be announced]
Mr. Mohd. Salleh Hj. Masduki
Vice President
Flagship Coordination
Multimedia Development CorporationSelangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaPRESS/130
Page 6
MORE[title of presentation to be announced]
Mr. Torbjörn IhreDirector
Ericsson European Affairs Office
Brussels, Belgium
--followed by a general discussion
13:00-14:15 Lunch break
Afternoon Session
14:15 III.  Practical problems encountered in IT trade (including the possibility of presenting
case studies, e.g. import licensing) and the broader effects of NTMs
[title of presentation to be announced]
Mr. Dewang Mehta
Executive Director
NASSCOM
New Delhi, India
"Import Licensing for Information Technology Products"
Mr. David McGuire
Senior Manager, International Trade Team
Nortel NetworksCanada
"Trading Barriers and Proposed Solutions of IT Trade"
Mr. Miin Wu
PresidentMacronix International Co., Ltd.
Chinese Taipei
"Redundant Testing and Certification as Impediments to Economic Development"
Mr. William MaxwellInternational Trade Policy Manager
Hewlett Packard Company
USA
"Suppliers' Declaration of Conformity, Certification & Standardisation"
Mr. Michel de Vecchis
Director, StandardizationTelecom Product Division – Cables & Components Sector Alcatel
France
--followed by a general discussionPRESS/130
Page 7
END16:00 IV.  The implications of current approaches to standards making and conformity
assessment (review developments in international standards and other relevant bodies).
"IEC and Information Technology"
Mr. Jack SheldonTechnical Manager
International Electrotechnical Commission
Geneva, Switzerland
"Supplier Declarations of Conformity:  A Case-study in Implementation".
Dr. James Galloway
Director, Technical and Regulatory of the Australian Electrical and Electronic
Manufacturers Association (AEEMA)
Australia
"Green Paper on Global Product Approval System for the Future"
Mr. Peter DeichmannTechnical Relations Manager EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
IBM,
Germany
"Electrical Safety and Information Technology Products"
Mr. Jean-Louis Robert
Régie de batiment
Government of Quebec
Direction de la normalization
andMember of the Canadian Advisory Council on Electrical Safety
Canada
--followed by a general discussion