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WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
12 June 2023 
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Work Programme on Electronic Commerce  
16 May 2023   
 
MINUTES OF THE MEETING  
DEDICATED DISCUSSION ON ELECTRONIC COMMERC E 
HELD IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD AND IN VIRTUAL FORMAT ON 16 MAY 2023 
Chairperson: H.E. Ms Usha Dwarka -Canabady  (Mauritius) , Facilitator of the  
E-commerce Work Programme and the Moratorium  
1.1.  The Chairperson  welcomed Members to the dedi cated discussion which w ould focus on digital 
trade facilitation and facilitation of electronic transactions. She recalled that t his topic was first raised 
in earlier consultations in late 2022 and was included in her report to the General Council of 
December  2022 (JOB/GC/330). Given the short notice , she understood that time may not have been 
sufficient for delegations to fully prepare. Nonetheless and given the broad nature of th e theme, 
discussions d id not need to be exhausted at the present meeting. She encourage d all delegations  to 
share their experiences on digital trade facilitation and also on facilitation of electronic transactions. 
She noted that, a s it had been done in previous sessions, it would also be useful to reflect specifically 
on what the WTO could  do in this area either on its own or in collaboration with other IGOs. She was 
sure that when revisit ing the earlier themes including on the digital divide, as  well as legal and 
regulatory frameworks, this matter may be further substantiated as well . She further noted that 
Singapore had recently circulated document RD/GC/25, also on trade digitalization. She then turned 
to Singapore to introduce its submission.  
1.2.  The representative of Singapore  delivered the following statement:1  
1.3.  My colleagues from the Info-communication Media Development Authority had originally 
wanted to present this during the original timeslot but given the re -scheduling they were unable to 
make it , so I will be making this presentation on their behalf. I will also be collecting questions, if 
any, to pass on to them at the end of the presentation. Moving onto slide 2, this shows the current 
state-of-play in terms of how there are many parties exchanging a lot of information using , more 
often than not , very silo systems that are not integrated with one another. Unfortunately, a lot of 
these  exchanges  actually take place over paper, a 2000 -year-old technology. This medium , as we 
all know , is inefficient and , in an often-cited analysis by Maersk and IBM,  this inefficiency can be as 
much as 20% of transportation costs. The silo systems often arise in trade , are not interoperable 
and are conventionally extremely costly. How much documentation are we talking about? We are 
looking at up to 50 sheets of paper that can be exchanged with up to 30 different stakeholders and 
this is the reason we are pushing for trade digitalization.  Interoperability is key. We cannot expect 
that all lin ks in the supply chain use the same technology platform or vendor . All links in the supply 
chain are free to choose the technologies stack, platform  and vendor of their choice  and this is why 
interoperability is then very important in this context.  
1.4.  What is  TradeTrust? It is a framework that comprises globally a set of standards that connects 
governments and businesses to a public blockchain, to enable trust and interoperability of electronic 
trade documents across digital platforms . It is offered as a digit al utility. As you can see from slide 
4, there are four main components, and all these four components are equally important to ensure 
the effective functioning of the TradeTrust. What does l egal harmonization mean? It actually aims 
to achieve consistent recognition and treatment of electronic transferrable documents across various 
jurisdictions . This is important in ensuring that when the electronic document transfers across a 
border, it retains its ability to transfer legal rights as the trading partners require. The global 
 
1 The presentation is attached in Annex  I. WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  standard for this, we have talked about this previously, is the Model Law on Electronic Transferrable 
Records (MLETR ), published in 2017 by UNCITRAL. As more countries enacted it , or its equivalent, 
into their various statutory laws, th ere will be increasingly consistent recognition across the bo ard. 
The second part of it is standards development . The  technology matters used in the TradeTrust  
framework are being promoted and aligned to the international standards that are neutral, open a nd 
accessible. This is especially important to voluntary adoption by the technology industry. The third 
part, accreditation framework, is an option within the MLETR which allows for a predetermination 
that the methods used by a system managing electronic t ransferable records  (ETRs ) are doing so in 
fulfilment of the ML ETR requirements through the existence of a declaration by a supervisory board 
and accreditation body of a voluntary scheme. The last part, the software components, share s a 
common quote base as the  open attestation framework which has been used in many other 
non-trade-use cases, such as the Singapore's COVID -19 vaccination certificates as well as education 
certificates. How are these vaccination certificates easily verifie d, when travellers are roaming 
around the world ? We believe that these trade documents should enjoy the same portability . So, 
the TradeT rust softwares are open -source, offered free to the community, so that the doctors do not 
to re-quote and only need to i ntegrate them into existing systems, and thereby we call them 
TradeTrust -enabled.  
1.5.  Going back to the question on what TradeTrust is , we want to look at the three key 
functionalities that are on slide 5. As you can see from the three boxes, there are three k ey elements 
that we want to capture here: (i) authenticity of the document, (ii) the ability to verify the source of 
the document and (iii) the ability to transfer the title from a legal perspective.  It is important to note 
that TradeTrust is a framework a nd is not really a platform . It does, however , support platforms and 
systems to achieve the three functionalities mentioned before across platforms and systems. The 
technical methods are implemented in open -source software that has been contributing to the  role. 
You can see that TradeTrust is not just for Singapore, but we have been working very closely with 
the international community and international organizations to see how we can build something that 
everyone can contribute to and use.  Regarding the Tr adeTrust framework on slide 7, these are the 
princip les for digital development, and these are the princip les that we also have to bear in mind 
when we are developing the TradeTrust framework. You can see that some of the princip les that we 
want to highlig ht is that : first, this is open -source and supports open standards; secondly  it 
addresses privacy and security , we use hashing ; and thirdly , this is essentially a very collaborative 
effort among businesses and governments.  In addition to these principles , TradeTrust is also 
designed as a public good that is non -rivalrous  – the use of it does not deny others from using it , 
and it is non -excludable  – no one can stop you from using it.  
On slide 8 is a bill of lading as an example of dealing with transferrable documents. Essentially there 
would be different data stated on the bill of lading, and what we do is that we extract all this data 
to make sure that these are electronic transferrable records that can be passed on across borders.  
One of the main reasons why these documents are notoriously difficult to digitize is that they have 
the legal ability to affect the performance obligation transferred from party to party . As such there 
can only be one piece of paper that exists throughout  its life cycle to represent the legal rights of 
the bearer at any one time. This is also the reason why the technology, then, is important to make 
sure that there is only one copy that is going around as we digitize it.  Moving onto slide 9, this is 
how Tr adeTrust looks like from a technical, architecture perspective. Its modular design will ensure 
minimum coupling  and provide answers to flexibility to cater for changes in technology in the future. 
As mentioned earlier , TradeTrust is not a platform, but a s et of software components or utilities that 
sit in between  the application and the blockchain layer s. This architecture is designed to allow 
businesses and government departments to build platforms and business applications that are 
independent of the unde rlying technologies.  
1.6.  Nearing the end of the presentation , we want to share some examples or use cases in terms 
of how we have used TradeTrust  in the area of trade finance and trade logistics. We have seen that 
in trade finance it has improved operational efficiency as we can more rapidly transfer title and 
documents digitally and we reduce the risk of trade finance fraud, which is a key problem . There are 
many beneficiaries, including banks, exporters, importers, carrier s, insurers and surveyors. In the 
use-case of trade logistics, we are seeing an increase in productivity and asset utilization . We have 
reduce d overhead costs of paper and also t he unnecessary charges that were incurred due to delay 
in documentation. Similarly, there are many beneficiaries in this use -case as well, ranging from 
shippers, carriers to port operators and banking service operators.  Slide 11 shows examples of some 
of the global partners hips that TradeTrust has forged over the past few years. As you can see, it is 
international, we have worked with Abu Dhabi, Australia, Rotterdam port as well as some private WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  sector players  like ExxonM obil, banks , etc. This is something w e are continuing to build and 
continuing to grow, and we look forward to working with Members here to further the discussion on 
this.   
1.7.  The Chairperson  recalled that, following the March dedicated discussion on legal and regulatory 
frameworks, the United K ingdom had circulated a submission on trade digitalisation (WT/GC/W/870) 
which is relevant to t he present discussion  and invited the representative of the UK to speak.   
1.8.  The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement : 
1.9.  The UK welcomes today 's discussion on digital trade facilitation and facilitation of electronic 
transactions. We have recently circulated communication WT/GC/W/870 on trade digitalisation, 
which is relevant in this conte xt. My remarks will focus on the key points of that communication. 
I also wish to thank colleagues from Singapore for their interesting and, in many ways, 
complementary presentation to our communication. Utilising technology to improve trade processes, 
as well as to make them easier, cheaper, faster, and more secure for businesses, is an important 
objective for the UK.  This is one of the pillars of the UK Government 's Digital Trade Objectives. It is 
also an important element of the G7 Digital Trade Principl es developed under the UK 's G7 Presidency 
in 2021. To cut red tape and enable more businesses to trade, governments and industry should 
drive forward the digitisation of trade -related documents. This can be done through addressing legal, 
technical, and com mercial barriers to the digitisation of paper processes.  Focussing on legal barriers, 
it is clear that legislation and regulations can lag behind the pace of technological change. For 
example, many countries still maintain legal requirements for paper docu mentation and 'wet' 
signatures. This makes trade slower, more expensive, and less appealing to businesses – especially 
MSMEs. Such barriers should be addressed in a manner which is inclusive, transparent, efficient, 
and globally compatible. Initiatives suc h as UNCITRAL model laws provide global best practice in this 
space that is ripe for widespread adoption. The UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce (1996) 
established rules for the equal treatment of electronic and paper -based information, as well as f or 
the legal recognition of electronic transactions and processes. This is based on the fundamental 
principles of non -discrimination against the use of electronic means, functional equivalence, and 
technological neutrality. The UNCITRAL Model Law on Electr onic Transferable Records (2017) applied 
the same principles to enable and facilitate the use in electronic form of transferable documents and 
instruments. These include bills of lading, bills of exchange, cheques, promissory notes, and 
warehouse receipts.   
1.10.  Digitalising trade, including by adopting these model laws, is likely to unlock significant 
benefits for businesses, especially for MSMEs. This includes reducing export times by 24 - 44 percent, 
increasing the probability of an MSME starting to export by  up to 3 per cent, and increasing the 
value of MSME exports. The UK is currently adopting legislation that is aligned with the UNCITRAL 
Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records. The UK Electronic Trade Documents Bill will give UK 
business more choice a nd flexibility in how they trade. In addition, it will cut processing times for 
electronic documents to 20 seconds and reduce carbon emissions by at least 10 per cent.  In addition 
to this particular reform outlined in our communication, the UK 's trade prec edent regularly includes 
commitments in the digital trade facilitation space. These include Paperless Trading, E -Contracts and 
E-Signatures, and others. In conclusion, the UK encourages Members to address barriers to the 
digitalisation of trade in a manner  which is inclusive, transparent, efficient, and globally compatible. 
Adopting UNCITRAL model laws is a significant step towards that objective, as are compatible rules 
negotiated and adopted in the context of trade negotiations such as the JSI on e -commer ce. We 
encourage Members to engage with the UK 's communication WT/GC/W/870 for a more detailed 
overview of these issues.  
1.11.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement :2  
1.12.  Brazil would like  to thank Singapore and the UK for their submission s and presentations. We 
would like also to thank you, Ambassador, for giving us the opportunity to make a short presentation 
on our domestic experience with the implementation of an electronic single window system and 
some of its benefits, such as faster c learance times, increase in government revenue, reduction of 
compliance costs to traders, and improvement of transparency, efficiency, and predictability of 
customs procedures. While the benefits of the adoption of digital trade facilitation measures, such  
as electronic single windows, extend to both traditional and digital trade, Brazil considers that it can 
 
2 The presentation is attached in Annex  II WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  be particularly beneficial to increase the participation of MSMEs in international e -commerce, since 
MSMEs usually face greater obstacles when dealing  with the complexity and cost of customs 
procedures. As for the role of international trade rules and recommendations in promoting a 
paperless environment for international trade and cross -border interoperability, Brazil believes that 
digital trade facilit ation provisions in FTAs are important building blocks to achieve these goals, and 
has, accordingly, included such provisions in a Mercosur regional agreement and bilateral 
agreements with Chile and the US signed in the last years. We would like also to hi ghlight the work 
of international and regional organizations in this area, such as the WTO, WCO, World Bank, 
UNCTAD, the Inter -American Development Bank (IDB) and UN -CEFACT.  And now, if the Ambassador 
allows me, I would like to pass the floor to my colleag ue Tiago Barbosa, Brazil 's Single Window 
Manager, to start his presentation : 
1.13.  My name is Tiago Barbosa, I am the general coordinator for Trade Facilitation at the 
Secretariat for Foreign Trade in Brazil and Brazil's Single Windows Manager. I am also Brazil' s Single 
Window Expert at the UN/CEFACT.  The objective of the presentation is to show Brazil's experience 
in implementing its electronic single window and how we were able to reduce time and cost by 
focusing on using technology.  First of all, since the be ginning of the project, we learned that the 
key success factor is the cooperation with the private sector. They are experts in what they do when 
exporting and importing. We worked with the private sector collaboratively in all the phases of the 
project inc luding the business process redesign, the revision of the legal framework, and in the 
adoption of international standards. Slide 2 shows the numbers: more than 10,000 private sector 
participants and more than 1,500 companies working with the government to achieve electronic 
single window and an efficient process to export and import.  
1.14.  What were we able to achieve? At the beginning of the project, when we revised all the  
obligations for the private sector, we were able to reduce the number of documents the private 
sector needed to send to the government by 70%. Between 2017 and 2018, when the first version 
of Brazil's single window was launched, we reduced 70% of the documents and 60% of the fields 
required to export. All the transactions and documents are d igitally signed, so we can have integrity 
and quality of the information to use in the government's risk management.  With respect to some 
real cases, before implementing the single window project in Brazil, the average time to issue drugs 
import licences w as 20 days. After reviewing the business process redesign and the use of technology 
integration system, we could reduce this to four days. Similarly, the phytosanitary certification used 
to take seven days and it now takes 24 hours to issue; and the  sanita ry certification used to take 
three days and it now takes 15 minutes.  So, what are the outcomes that the private sector can 
observe in the day -to-day operation? In 2014, the time to export was an average of 13 days, and 
now it takes five days. With regard to the time to import, it used to take 17 days to release a cargo 
but now it takes nine days on average. What does this represent in terms of cost reduction? When 
we reduce the amount of days it takes to release a cargo in the export or import process, it reduces 
the ad valorem cost of the cargo by 9% in the export process a nd by 7% in the import process. So, 
what does it represent? It is a saving of USD 20 billion per year for the private sector.  
1.15.  Now that we have developed the electronic single window, we are working on interoperating 
data to have better risk management and  do pre -arrival processing so that we can reduce even 
more the time to release a cargo. In Mercosur, we have some mutual recognition agreements, and 
we have a system that is called bConnect that uses blockchain. Through it we exchange data about 
AEO compan ies, customs declarations, transit declarations, ePhyto, e -Cert and certificates of origin. 
We are in the first phase of the pilot of the exchange of AEO companies registers and in the next 
phase we are going to add those other documents. But first of all,  for us to understand each other, 
we have to adopt international standards, so we chose to use WCO data model and the UN/CEFACT 
standards so we can understand the data from each country that is handling the information, in 
Mercosur or outside the Mercosur.  Other countries are also implementing their ASYCUDA system, 
that is a single windows system developed by UNCTAD. They are achieving these kinds of benefits 
from implementing digital trade facilitation measures. This this can show to other countries, that it 
is not only with tailor -made software that you can achieve reduction of time and cost, but also with 
ASYCUDA doing some customization and improving the time to release the cargo in an import/export 
process. Brazil is open to share further experience and  knowledge about implementing its single 
window and discuss other experiences, as we have heard from Singapore and the United Kingdom.  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  1.16.  The representative of China  delivered the following statement : 
1.17.  I would like to thank Singapore, the UK and Brazil for the ir submissions and presentations , 
which have provided us with very helpful and illustrative examples of digital trade facilitation . I think 
this kind of exchanges of national practices are extremely important in our discussions.  At present, 
the rapid growt h of global online consumption has brought new opportunities for e -commerce 
development, especially for SMEs. According to the estimation of eMarketer, a market research firm, 
the global online retail market size grew by 14.3% in 2021, accounting for 19.5%  of the total social 
consumption. In this context, cross -border e -commerce has become a new trade model and one of 
the new directions of international trade development. In China, for example, the total import and 
export value of cross -border e -commerce re ached yuan 1.92 trillion (or roughly USD 300 billion) in 
2021, an increase of nearly 10 times in five years, playing an important role in promoting China's 
digital economy.  China has always attached great importance to the discussion on e -commerce and 
trade facilitation in the WTO, and has submitted several proposals (for example, JOB/GC/110/REV.1, 
JOB/GC/142) based on China's good practices in e -commerce development. Those proposals also 
encouraged Members to discuss the issues of promotion and facilitatio n of cross -border trade in 
goods enabled by the Internet, together with services directly supporting such trade in goods, such 
as payment and logistics services . The covered elements of facilitating the cross -border e -commerce 
include the following:  First, to promote paperless e -transactions. This includes paperless trading, 
e-signature and e -authentication, e -contract, e -invoicing, electronic transaction framework , etc. As 
an important feature of the e-commerce ecosystem, paperless e -transactions will impr ove 
transaction efficiency, reduce transaction costs and save resources. For example, cross -border 
e-commerce is mainly realized through  the Internet and without paper documents, and e -payment 
is more efficient, secure and contactless, and also helps reduc e carbon footprint. But to realize the 
paperless objective, the legal validity of critical parts of the e -transaction process should be 
recognized, like the afore mentioned  e-signature and e -contract. This will not only protect the 
legitimate rights and int erests of the transaction parties, but also contribute to a more secured 
e-commerce ecosystem.  
1.18.  Second is to promote the payment and logistics services, which are intrinsically connected to 
the development of e -commerce. As indispensable components of the e -commerce ecosystem, 
payment and logistics services constitute the basic supporting system for ensuring the smooth 
completion of cross -border commodity trade transactions through the Internet. On the one hand, 
the rapid development of payment and logistics  services could shorten the duration of e -commerce 
transactions, improve transaction efficiency, provide great convenience for consumers, and promote 
the development of the e -commerce industry . On the other hand, the prosperity of e -commerce 
provides new m otivations and good environment for the development of payment and logistics 
services. The two are interdependent and mutually supportive.  Third is to make good use of "free 
zones", "customs warehouses" and other practices to facilitate cross -border e -comm erce. Members 
could summarize the good experiences shared in the dedicated discussions and implement them 
based on each one 's own needs, to achieve the goal of promoting e -commerce development and 
inclusive growth. Tak ing China as an example, we encourage active exploration of "free zones" and 
"customs warehouses" to facilitate e -commerce, which allows goods to be stored, disassembled, 
consolidated, and packaged in the "free zones" and "customs warehouses" of the importing Member. 
Then, according to the tra nsaction order placed through electronic means, the goods are transported 
and delivered to the buyer from the "free zones" and "customs warehouses" after completing the 
import procedures such as customs declaration, tariff, and domestic tax collection. Thi s approach 
could reduce cross -border logistics and delivery time, lower costs, improve the e -commerce user 
experience, improve the transaction efficiency of both sellers and consumers, and also help 
regulatory authorities to unify the supervision of goods,  save administrative costs, and improve 
administrative efficiency.  China is willing to work with all Members to jointly promote positive 
outcomes in the facilitation of e -commerce in the WTO. We are keen to hear other Members ' 
development models and experi ences and call on Members to continue active engagement in the 
dedicated discussions with a view to achieving the goal of better promoting e -commerce for 
development.  
1.19.  The representative of the Saudi Arabia , Kingdom of  delivered the following statement : 
1.20.  I would like to thank Singapore, the United Kingdom, Brazil and China for their very interesting 
and insightful presentations and for sharing their national practices. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is 
delighted to share our national experience regarding this  very important topic. In accordance with 
the pursuit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National Vision 2030, and the aim to maintain trade WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  competitiveness and enabling effective participation in cross -border e -commerce, enhancing the 
application of modern in formation and communication technologies to simplify and automate 
international trade procedures are becoming important priorities for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
Leveraging its unique geographic position, and aiming at becoming a global logistics hub, th e 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made trade facilitation one of the three pillars of its Customs strategy, 
with the improvement of infrastructure and digitalization as key enablers.  Since 2017, Saudi 
Customs had been actively engaging in the digitalization of  its clearance procedures and its handling 
of shipments. An electronic national system  for the management of cross -border trade operations, 
called FASAH , has been developed. It acts as a Single Window platform, connecting all organizations 
involved in the regulation of trade such as Environment, Commerce, Agriculture, Customs, and the 
Ports Authority.  FASAH  is considered as one of the leading platforms , in terms of quality in the world 
in providing a single window solution, as it facilitates the entire user  journey from end -to-end, 
ensuring the ease of imports and exports in Saudi Arabia. FASAH operates through 3 main systems: 
clearance portal, entity integration and 100 online services that allow it to serve the import and 
export ecosystem, such as manifest  submission, declaration creation and submittal, single payment 
portal and tracking system that allows stakeholders to track by containers and /or bill of lading for 
all modes (sea, air, land). In addition, FASAH ensures open data services which allow all i nterested 
parties and public to view customs data, which enables transparency and clarity.  
1.21.  Another trade facilitation initiative is the Improved Clearance Programme (ICP), which aims 
to streamline Customs clearance through pre -arrival electronic submission  and the completion of 
inspections in 24 hours.  The programme reduces the number of required supporting documents to 
just two (invoice and bill of lading), which must be submitted through FASAH. In 2019, thanks to 
the programme, 80% of Customs declarations  were cleared in less than 48 hours, compared to an 
average of eight days in previous years.  One of the program me's priorities is to further streamline 
Customs clearance procedures and reduce clearance time to two hours over the next two years. The 
objecti ve is to attain a higher ranking in the global Logistics Performance Index: from 49 to 25, in 
addition to securing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 's status as a key player in international trade.  
Another important electronic platform is SABER , which was launch ed by the Saudi Standards, 
Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO). SABER  platform aims to register and issue conformity 
assessment certificates for products before entering the Saudi market. It ensures the imported goods 
conformity to standards and spec ifications before entering the Saudi market. SABER platform aims 
at facilitating and accelerating procedures for the entrance of goods into the Saudi market in 
coordination with the Saudi Customs through helping beneficiaries to issuing conformity assessme nt 
certificates electronically and easily.  
1.22.  The representative of South Africa , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the 
following  statement:  
1.23.  Digital trade facilitation refers to the use of digital technologies and systems to streamline 
and enhance th e processes involved in international trade. It involves the application of digital 
solutions to simplify and automate trade -related procedures, documentation, and communication 
between businesses, governments, and other stakeholders. The term electronic t ransactions refers 
to any financial or business transactions that are conducted using electronic means, such as 
computers, mobile devices, or online platforms. Instead of using traditional physical documents or 
in-person interactions, electronic transactio ns rely on digital technologies to initiate, process, and 
complete the exchange of goods, services, or monetary value.  
1.24.  The key components of digital trade and e -commerce facilitation may include:  
1. Electronic Documentation (Paperless Trading): Digitizing tra de-related documents such as 
invoices, purchase orders, shipping documents, and certificates to eliminate paperwork, 
reduce delays, and enhance accuracy.  
2. Single Window Systems: Establishing online platforms where traders can submit all 
necessary documents and data to fulfil regulatory requirements related to customs, 
permits, licenses, and other trade procedures.  
3. Online Customs Clearance: Implementing electronic customs clearance processes that 
allow for pre -arrival processing, risk assessment, an d automated customs procedures, 
reducing the time and cost associated with physical inspections.  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  4. Electronic Payments: Enabling secure and efficient online payment systems, such as 
electronic fund transfers and digital currencies, to facilitate smooth finan cial transactions 
in international trade.  
5. Data Exchange and Interoperability: Developing standardized data formats and protocols 
to ensure seamless information exchange and interoperability between various 
stakeholders involved in cross -border trade, inclu ding businesses, customs authorities, 
and regulatory agencies.  
6. Online Purchases: Buying products or services through e -commerce websites or online 
marketplaces, where customers place orders and make payments electronically.  
7. Electronic Funds Transfers: Tran sferring money from one bank account to another 
electronically, either through online banking, mobile banking apps, or payment platforms 
like PayPal, and M -PESA which was developed in Kenya and is widely used on the African 
continent.  
8. Digital Payments: Usi ng digital payment methods, such as credit cards, debit cards, mobile 
wallets, or cryptocurrencies, to make payments for goods and services - the South African 
platform, YOCO is an example.  
9. Digital Currency Transactions: Engaging in transactions using digit al currencies like Bitcoin 
or Ethereum, where ownership and transfers of value are recorded on blockchain 
technology.  
1.25.  Some of the advantages and benefits of facilitation of digital trade and electronic transactions 
include: speed, convenience, cost -effecti veness, reduced trade costs, enhanced transparency, 
improved speed and efficiency of trade processes, increased competitiveness for businesses, and 
greater opportunities for small and medium -sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in global trade. 
Addition ally, they can contribute to economic growth, job creation, and overall development by 
fostering international trade and integration.  
1.26.  African countries face several challenges. These include:  
1. Digital Infrastructure: Many African countries still have limi ted access to reliable and 
affordable internet connectivity, especially in rural areas. Insufficient digital infrastructure, 
including broadband networks and data centres, poses a significant obstacle to 
implementing digital trade facilitation measures eff ectively.  
2. Technological Capacity: The availability of a skilled workforce and technical expertise is 
crucial for digital trade facilitation. However, there is a shortage of professionals with 
expertise in digital technologies, such as data analytics, e -commerce, and cybersecurity, 
which hampers the adoption and utilization of digital trade solutions.  
3. Access to Digital Tools and Technologies: Access to digital tools and technologies, such as 
computers, smartphones, and software applications, remains a challe nge in many African 
countries, particularly among small and medium -sized enterprises. Limited access to these 
tools hinders their ability to participate in digital trade and take advantage of its benefits.  
4. Digital Divide: There is a significant digital div ide within Africa, as well as between Africa 
and other regions. Disparities in internet penetration rates, digital literacy, and access to 
technology exacerbate the challenges faced by African countries in digital trade 
facilitation. Bridging this divide i s essential for inclusive and equitable participation in the 
digital economy.  
5. Regulatory Environment: Inconsistent or outdated regulations related to e -commerce, 
data protection, cybersecurity, and electronic transactions pose challenges to digital trade 
facilitation. Harmonizing and modernizing regulatory frameworks across African countries 
is necessary to create an enabling environment for digital trade.  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  6. Trust and Security: Building trust in digital trade is crucial for its success. African countries 
face challenges related to cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy. Strengthening 
cybersecurity measures, enhancing data protection frameworks, and establishing trust 
mechanisms are necessary to instil confidence in digital trade processes.  
7. Financial Inclu sion: Limited access to financial services and digital payment platforms is a 
significant challenge in many African countries. Ensuring widespread financial inclusion, 
promoting digital payment solutions, and addressing barriers to cross -border financial 
transactions are important for enabling digital trade facilitation.  
8. Cross -Border Cooperation: Enhancing cross -border cooperation among African countries 
is essential for harmonizing trade procedures, data exchange, and regulatory frameworks. 
Strengthening r egional integration initiatives, such as the African Continental Free Trade 
Area (AfCFTA), can help address challenges and promote digital trade facilitation.  
9. Capacity Building and Awareness: Promoting digital literacy and providing training 
programs to en hance digital skills among businesses, government officials, and individuals 
is crucial. Capacity building initiatives, awareness campaigns, and knowledge sharing 
platforms can help African countries overcome challenges in digital trade facilitation.  
1.27.  The report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) entitled Growing Intra -African Trade through 
Digital Transformation of Border and Customs Services: Regional Action Group for Africa  highlights 
a number of these advantages and challenges. It is clear that addressing these challenges requires 
concerted efforts from governments, regional organizations, private sector entities, and 
development partners. Investing in digital infrastructur e, fostering technological capacity, improving 
regulatory environments, and promoting inclusive and secure digital ecosystems are essential for 
African countries to fully harness the potential of digital trade facilitation. It is also critical to 
understan d what are the discussions that are taking place in other intergovernmental organizations . 
In this regard , we are confident that the upcoming workshop will provide  that insight.  
1.28.  The representative of Mauritius  delivered the following statement :  
1.29.  Mauritius  welcomes the UK, Singapore, Brazil and China for their respective presentations. 
we believe in sharing of information and best practices as being an important element for the growth 
of e-commerce. Digitalization is creating new trade opportunities by givi ng access to remote and 
foreign markets to firms of all sizes and in any location, and by lowering trade costs and expanding 
the variety of goods and services that can be traded. Since the early 2000s, Mauritius has undertaken 
a number of measures to trans form the country in to a "cyber -island ". The ICT/BPO industry 
represents a key driver of the economy with a GDP contribution of 7.4% in 2021 and employing 
around 30,000 people.  The ICT/BPO industry has played a phenomenal role in driving employment 
creation  and growth over the past 15 years. It is today shaping the future of the Mauritian economy 
by transcending barriers, creating significant strides in building economic linkages with other drivers 
of growth and bringing greater  innovation and high -tech star t-up companies to its shores.  From 
Financial services and Fintech, Education and Health services, Smart cities to Real estate 
development, the ICT sector is more than ever participating in the growth momentum of these 
sectors and its relevance  and contribu tion is becoming more prominent and pronounced  in the 
economy . 
1.30.  Over the past two decades, the Government of Mauritius has been working hard to create a 
legal and regulatory framework that is supportive of e -commerce growth. The following legislations 
provide for appropriate safeguards for e -commerce activities:  
• The Electronic Transactions Act 2000 provides for transactions to be carried out in 
digital  form;  
• The Information and Communication Technologies Act 2001 sets up the regulatory 
framework for the ICT sector;  
• The Data Protection Act 2017 ensures that personal da ta is adequately protected and has 
been amended to be fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR);  
• The Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act 2021 deals with offences of unauthorised access, 
unauthorised modification of computer material a nd provides for a modern framework WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  aligned with the Budapest Convention on cybercrime. It  contains provisions which 
address contemporary threats.  
 
1.31.  We have taken steps to modernize our legal framework to reflect the new digital realities of 
the modern era, and we have also sought to create a supportive ecosystem for e -commerce 
businesses through initiatives such as tax holidays.  However, there are some areas that require 
improvements. The legal framework on logistics services, for instance, will require adju stment to 
better mirror best practices, and to also ensure efficient cross -border trade between Mauritius and 
its trade partners. Furthermore, Mauritius does not have a consumer protection law crafted 
specifically for e-commerce to protecting consumers fro m deceptive and fraudulent commercial 
conducts and to provide for redress to traders, among others. As matters stand, the Ministry of 
Commerce and Consumer Protection is preparing a new consumer protection framework which will 
cater for E -Commerce. Lack of  proper legislations for regulating ICT matters especially when it comes 
to new and emerging technologies, and consumer protection . There are also ongoing consultations 
at domestic level with a view to coming up with an action plan which would enable the d evelopment 
of a digital ecosystem in Mauritius.  
1.32.  Mauritius recogni zes that while the digital economy offers benefits for all by reducing trade 
costs, improving productivity, and increasing ability to participate in export markets – least 
developed and deve loping countries  face barriers in achieving these aims. To this end t he WTO can 
serve as a platform for Members to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to develop a harmonized 
legal and regulatory framework for e -commerce. For example, the WTO can faci litate the sharing of 
best practices among Members regarding e -commerce regulation. This could involve organizing 
workshops, seminars, and other events to promote information -sharing and collaboration.  Guidelines 
and recommendations on e -commerce regulatio n can also be developed to assist Members in 
developing  their own legal and regulatory frameworks. These guidelines could cover topics such as 
data protection, cyber -security, online payments, and dispute resolution.  
1.33.  The Chairperson  added that Mauritius rank ed 17th in the world on cybersecurity  but noted 
that the ITU  would remove the rankings . It was interesting to look at the ITU figures on all these 
issues to see also how countries fare on such issues.   
1.34.  The representative of Trinidad and Toba go, on behalf of CARICOM , delivered the 
following  statement : 
1.35.  Thank you, Madam Facilitator, for your stewardship of this process.  Thank you also to 
Singapore, the UK and Brazil for their presentations and to all delegations that have shared their 
national e xperiences. The CARICOM Group stands ready to continue engaging meaningfully. Madam 
Facilitator, our discussion today allows us to revisit some of the elements addressed during our 
discussions earlier in this process, such as during our dialogue on legal a nd regulatory frameworks. 
On that occasion, delegations highlighted national experiences relating to legislation and regulations 
in respect of consumer protection, cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, telecommunications 
and electronic transactions. We welcome the opportunity to deepen our discussion through today 's 
focus on digital trade facilitation and the facilitation of electronic transactions. Madam Facilitator, 
the Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean  compl eted by 
USAID in 2022 provides snapshots relating to the digital ecosystems of eleven  countries of our 
region. Electronic transactions legislation is identified in this Assessment as an area where these 
countries perform relatively well, with just one coun try yet to adopt what is still at this stage draft 
legislation. However, considering the accelerated pace of innovation and change within the global 
digital landscape, questions do arise relating to the robustness of this legislation in our region. 
Consult ation of the provisions being negotiated today or already included in RTAs on electronic 
invoicing and contracts, electronic authentication, electronic signatures and electronic transactions 
frameworks further reinforces these concerns, including as relate s to the adequacy and effectiveness 
of provisions relating to the reduction of regulatory burden and obstructive administrative 
procedures relevant to electronic transactions. In light of this, we are pleased that the two -day 
workshop at the start of June will feature experts from UNCITRAL for our discussion on legal and 
regulatory frameworks, not least of all because of the widely -held view that the principles outlined 
in the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce 1996 are instructive as far as developm ent of 
a legal framework for electronic transactions is concerned.  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  1.36.  On digital trade facilitation, relevant studies surveying the economies in our region have 
confirmed that, among other elements, inefficient trade administrative procedures contribute to hi gh 
trade costs and undermine trade competitiveness. Despite commendable efforts and progress in the 
region relating to movement toward paperless trade, there remains much ground to cover relating 
to the replacement of manual, non -standardised, paper -based processes with more -efficient 
electronic ones. The imperative to pursue further progress in this regard is evident; to fail to do so 
would deprive the countries of the region of a significant portion of the revenue from cross -border 
trade, through prohibit ive, complex, manual administrative procedures that cause delays and are 
susceptible to error and abuse. Conversely, a robust movement to paperless trade, including digital 
automation of the exchange, verification and authentication of trade documentation,  would 
significantly reduce trade costs and create a platform for improved trade efficiency and trade 
performance. The Commonwealth Secretariat 's 2022 Quantitative Analysis of the Move to Paperless 
Trade finds that, for a number of CARICOM Member States, t rade costs as a share of trade revenue 
amounted to more than 50% in 2019, with that figure hovering very close to 100% for a number of 
these economies. These figures make a strong case for Governments to pursue the relevant legal 
reforms relating to electr onic transferable records, for example, that would address costly and 
burdensome inefficiencies and better position the countries of our region to benefit from digital trade 
facilitation and from cross -border trade.  
1.37.  It is important to underscore that effor ts are underway and progress is in fact being achieved 
in the region in the area of digital trade facilitation. Some of that momentum has been secured 
within the context of the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Implementation levels 
vary across the region,  and it is noted that TFA commitments of CARICOM Member States in respect 
of digital trade facilitation were notified as Category B and Category C commitments, pointing to the 
need for time and technical assistance for implementation. Nev ertheless, the shift towards paperless 
trade is in progress, as evidenced by accelerated efforts and achievements relating to the 
introduction of single electronic windows in some territories , such as Trinidad and Tobago,  in keeping 
with Article 10.4.1 of the TFA. Progress is also evidenced by partnerships with UNCTAD that allow 
some CARICOM Member States to benefit from the ASYCUDA computerised, automated approach to 
customs management. There has also been the issuing of digital CARICOM certificates of ori gin in 
two Member States, as well as the implementation of the 2017 UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic 
Transferable Records by a CARICOM Member State.  And yet much remains to be done.  
1.38.  We welcome opportunities like these to share experiences and we remain keen to access 
support relating to the implementation of key digital trade facilitation measures relating to removal 
of cumbersome, inefficient administrative procedures, as well as the legal use and recognition of 
digital commercial trade documenta tion. The benefits for our economies and SMEs would be 
manifold, including reduced trade costs, better access to trade finance, as well as increased 
cross-border trade and trade revenue.  On our work on this issue at the WTO, in addition to continuing 
our e ngagement in the Trade Facilitation Committee, our Aid for Trade dialogue could address 
support for legislative reform as it relates to digital trade facilitation and facilitation of electronic 
transactions. Given the positive impact of implementation of d igital trade facilitation measures on 
access to trade finance, there may also be scope for engagement on this issue within the Working 
Group on Trade, Debt and Finance.   
1.39.  The representative of Djibou ti, on behalf of the LDC Group , delivered  the following s tatement :  
1.40.  I would like to add the voice of the LDC Group in thanking Singapore, the UK, Brazil and 
China. Madam Facilitator, we are delivering this statement on behalf of the LDC Group. We welcome 
the active participation of all Members in these in -depth discussions, as demonstrated by the wide 
range of interventions and submissions, reflecting the importance of addressing the topic of 
e-commerce at the World Trade Organization and giving a new impetus to the work programme. We 
note that , in recent years , some progress has been made in the least -developed countries in the 
development of the basic infrastructure needed to enable e -commerce, as evidenced by UNCTAD's 
eTrade Readiness Assessments for LDCs. Nevertheless, affordability and access in rural areas r emain 
major obstacles to the expansion of e -commerce activities. The human dimension is just as essential 
for fostering the growth of e -commerce and this is where we see persistent gaps in the LDCs. And 
these are just two fundamental aspects of a broader i ssue. Madam Facilitator, the LDC Group wishes 
to underscore the importance of focussing the discussions under the Work Programme on 
E-commerce on the development dimension. We consider development from a multidimensional 
angle that encompasses an e -commerc e policy and a regulatory framework, infrastructure, trade 
logistics and trade facilitation, payment solutions, human competencies and access to funding. It is WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  our hope that this discussion will enable a better understanding of how today's topic was define d, 
because for the LDCs, the issue of digital trade and e -transaction facilitation is linked to various 
topics that have already been raised in previous dedicated discussions, such as regulatory 
frameworks, the digital divide and infrastructure issues.  The World Trade Organization can serve as 
a catalyst to help members of the LDC Group address these matters through existing structures and 
channels, particularly through Aid for Trade targeting specific needs. Specifically, the Committee on 
Trade and Develop ment could inform the discussions on identifying ways of narrowing the digital 
divide. In parallel, the Trade Facilitation Committee is well placed to address the facilitation 
dimension, for example , by sharing best practices and strengthening capacities l inked to the 
adoption of technologies such as the single window and other mechanisms related to online systems 
that facilitate the digitalization of trade in physical goods.  
1.41.  The representative of India delivered the following statement : 
1.42.  Chair, we thank you  for organizing this fifth session of the Work Programme on E -Commerce. 
Our statement covers "Facilitation of Electronic Transactions " as the central theme. Since the Work 
Programme on E -Commerce addressed the domain of electronic transactions, we believe the session 
will be better utilized if we limit our perspectives to this area. The broader theme of digitizing the 
process of Trade Fa cilitation is anyway being discussed regularly in the Committee on Trade 
Facilitation.  The government of India runs a programme by the name of Digital India, which provides 
the building blocks of the economic framework which promotes electronic transaction s across all 
domains in the country. Launched in 2015, Digital India is the flagship programme of the government 
with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.  Digital 
India is centred on three key vision areas:  Digital Infrastructure as a core utility to Every Citizen;  
Governance and Services on Demand; and  Digital Empowerment of Citizens.  
1.43.  On the Infrastructure interventions, there are three key initiatives. Aadhaar identity platform 
is one of the key pillars of Digital India, wherein every resident of the country is provided with a 
unique identity or Aadhaar number. More than 1.37 billion Aadhaar numbers have been generated 
since inception and in some months, there are up to 2 billion Aadhaar -based authentication s 
supporting digital transactions.  Bharat Broadband Network Limited is a special purpose vehicle to 
create a National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) in India, covering a total of around 250,000 village 
local bodies around the country.  Common Service Centres  (CSCs)  are the access points for the 
delivery of essential public utility services, social welfare schemes, healthcare, financial, education 
and agriculture services, apart from a host of B2C services to citizens in rural and remote areas of 
the country. M ore than 450 ,000 CSCs are working today.  
1.44.  The Governance and Services pillar is based on India 's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), a 
topic on which we earlier presented our paper WT/GC/W/863.  DPI refers to specific kinds of Digital 
systems which have soc iety-wide use and are interoperable i.e., ability to combine with other and 
additional systems, allowing building new applications.  The delegation of Singapore also defined 
DPIs in  its intervention and talked about some of their characteristics. India Stac k is at the heart of 
India's digital transformation. Described as "a set of APIs that allows governments, businesses, 
start-ups and developers to utilise a unique digital Infrastructure to solve India's problems towards 
presence -less, paperless, and cashle ss service delivery". It has allowed for the creation of a variety 
of services towards a more digitally inclusive society. Some of the examples of DPIs in the India 
Stack include:  
• Sugamya  Bharat Abhiyaan for achieving universal accessibility ; 
• AgriMarket app to keep farmers abreast with the crop prices ; 
• Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) to make payment transactions simple ; 
• COVID -19 Vaccine Intelligence Network (CoWIN), the platform on which  more than 
2.2 billion Covid -19 vaccine doses administered in India were recorded ; 
• Open Network for Digital Commerce for enabling MSMEs to participate in e -Commerce, 
with 25,000 small businesses already onboard ; and 
• Unified Payment Interface (UPI), the rea l time payment system has been a gamechanger 
for small and medium enterprises.  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  1.45.  Digital empowerment is achieved through platforms which leverage a combination of DPIs. 
Some examples are:  
• Account Aggregator framework provides a common language for lenders a nd 
marketplaces to build innovative, financial credit products at scale ; 
• eSanjeevani is India 's National Telemedicine Service, which is a step towards digital health 
equity to achieve Universal Health Coverage ; 
• eSign is an online electronic signature servi ce which can be integrated with service delivery 
applications via an API to facilitate an eSign user to digitally sign a document ;  
• MyGov platform is a unique first -of-its-kind participatory governance initiative involving 
the common citizen at large ; and  
• One Nation One Ration Card brings food security to all Indian citizens.  
1.46.  Through this comprehensive bouquet of Digital India constructs, the government ensures 
trust between the parties in electronic transactions, ensures consumer protection and fuels digit al, 
financial and service delivery innovation for the private sector to build on top of this national 
infrastructure. Chair, while there are many success stories on this topic, let me close this intervention 
with the most visible one – a story on digital p ayments, which keeps getting better each month. In 
April 2023, the United Payments Interface transactions reached a new high of 890 crore (8.9 billion 
transactions) which was a 59 per cent increase from April 2022. The value of these transactions has 
also increased over last year by 49 per cent to that of Rs. 14.07 lakh crore (Rs. 14.07 trillion or 
more than UDD 170 billion). This was the first month of the financial year 2023 -24 and we hope that 
the year closes with close to USD 2 trillion in digital payme nts, the backbone of electronic 
transactions in India.  We also thank Singapore for their submission which  is currently being studied.  
1.47.  The representative of Jamaica  delivered the following statement : 
1.48.  Jamaica appreciates the convening of this fifth dedicated  discussions. My delegation wishes 
to reiterate our support for the proposed schedule of work and particularly looks forward to the 
workshop with international organizations to be held from 1 to 2 June 2023.  The issue of digital 
trade facilitation is rapid ly becoming essential to maintaining trade competitiveness and enabling 
effective participation in cross -border e -commerce.  During the pandemic we were reminded of the 
importance of having harmonized and automated systems which facilitated the smooth flow  of 
COVID -19 related essential goods across borders. Unfortunately, many developing countries 
grappled with severe infrastructural and administrative challenges.  The Government of Jamaica has 
also been desirous of improving its trade environment which has , in the past , been characterized by 
complicated and sometimes inefficient procedures that led to high costs and delays. Jamaica 's 
ratification of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in January 2016 and the establishment of a 
Task Force was a clear signal of the country 's commitment to creating a competitive trading 
environment. From our perspective, trade facilitation brings predictability, simplicity, transparency 
and uniformity of trade related procedures which in turn translates to economic gains and an  
improved business environment. Jamaica has benefitted from the World Bank 's Trade Facilitation 
Support Program which has supported the country 's ongoing trade facilitation efforts including the 
establishment of online portals.  
1.49.  Jamaica currently has four m ain online platforms which continue to enable faster and more 
efficient management of trade and commerce related activities and procedures. These include:  
• Jamaica Single Window for Trade (JSWIFT) which is being implemented by the Jamaica 
Customs Agency (JC A). JSWIFT is a single electronic platform providing fully automated 
access to all cross -border regulatory agencies, enabling traders and their representatives 
to transact all businesses online. This one -stop shop allows importers and exporters to 
apply fo r licences, permits, certificates and any other international trade -related 
documents through a single portal;  
• Jamaica Trade Information Portal (JTIP) is another one -stop platform that provides all the 
necessary information relating to import and export to  and from Jamaica. In this portal, 
users are able to get information about all the regulatory requirements they need to fulfil 
in order to carry out their transactions as well as the requirements by each agency;  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  • Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) allows customs declarations and all 
supporting documentation to be submitted electronically. Jamaica appreciates the 
continued support received from UNCTAD in the implementation and maintenance of this 
system; and,  
• Jamaica 's Port Community System, "JamaicaPCS " is an online platform that enables 
secure and reliable exchange of information between public and private stakeholders while 
optimizing and automating many port and logistics processes.  
1.50.  From an administrative standpoin t, Jamaica 's trade facilitation reforms including in the areas 
of digital trade facilitation are being spearheaded by the National Trade Facilitation Taskforce which 
includes representatives from both the public and private sector. The taskforce , following  its 
establishment , developed the national trade facilitation roadmap, which was endorsed by Cabinet in 
2016. Despite the substantial progress made in recent years and the overall commitment by the 
Government of Jamaica to improve trade facilitation, there  are still gaps and challenges. The Digital 
and Sustainable trade facilitation in Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Report 2021  by 
UN ECLAC found this to be common trend in most countries across the region. One of the immediate 
areas for attention i s legislative reform. In aiming to improve trade facilitation through online portals 
and other initiatives, legislation must keep pace with these developments. This issue would have 
emerged during our dedicated session on legal and regulatory framework and  remains an important 
one. In this regard, we would like to mention that this issue was highlighted in the UK submission 
in WT/GC/W/870 for which we thank them and wish to advise that it is still being reviewed by Capital. 
The issue of data analytics is al so worth highlighting, as based on national experiences, there is very 
limited capacity to assess real -time data and adequately and quantitatively measure the impact of 
online trade portals.  The issue of human resources development and capacity building ca nnot be 
overstated as these systems require technical expertise and change management support to 
facilitate the smooth transition to a more efficient and paperless system.  
1.51.  Madame Facilitator, there is certainly scope for the WTO to support developing coun tries in 
their pursuit of improving digital trade facilitation. The WTO through the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
Facility should continue its engagement with partners such as the World Bank to secure additional 
funding particularly for implementation of Ca tegory C provisions. The WTO also should strengthen 
its collaboration with UNCTAD to bolster the support to developing countries for their National Trade 
Facilitation Taskforce or other mechanisms as well as the development and implementation of 
national a ction plans/strategies. At the regional level, we would have in the past benefitted from 
workshops on the TFA Implementation which among other things focused on notification obligations 
and supporting Members to make timely notifications to the WTO TF Comm ittee. Based on the 
experience of the Covid -19 pandemic and the rapid shift towards paperless trading, consideration 
could be given to another such workshop with primary focus on digital trade facilitation. Jamaica 
thanks Singapore for their presentation and the usual constructive contribution to our discussions. 
We have taken note of the TradeTrust initiative as well as the utilization of blockchain technology 
and will seek to engage the delegation further on how the system was developed. Jamaica also 
thanks the UK, Brazil and other delegations for sharing their national experience. The WTO remains 
the ideal forum for Members to share national experiences on these issues and it is crucial that the 
Organization support Members in keeping with its mandate an d collaboration with other 
stakeholders. In closing Madame Facilitator, Jamaica aligns itself with the statement made by 
Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of the CARICOM Group.  
1.52.  The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement : 
1.53.  Thank you, Madam  Facilitator, for convening this meeting. We also commend the insightful 
presentation s made by Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. First of all, Madam Facilitator, 
given the rapid development of digital trade and in order to participate globally, th e Indonesian 
government attaches great importance to providing adequate digital trade facilitation and electronic 
transaction facilitation for its people. In this regard, we have made significant strides in 
implementing regulations that facilitate digital trade and electronic transactions. Our government 
recognizes the importance of creating an enabling environment that promotes innovation, 
e-commerce, and secure digital transactions.  The implementation of our National e -Commerce 
Roadmap and the issuance of  the Government Regulation No. 80/2019 on E -commerce serve as 
pillars in our journey towards digital trade facilitation.  Through these regulations, we have 
established a robust legal framework that ensures consumer protection, data privacy, and 
cybersecuri ty. By adopting international best practices, we have strengthened trust in online WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  transactions, which has significantly contributed to the growth of our digital economy.  Moreover, our 
collaboration with stakeholders, including industry players and civil s ociety, has been instrumental 
in shaping effective policies and regulations.  
1.54.  Madam Facilitator, in our pursuit of digital trade facilitation, we have learned valuable lessons.  
Firstly, a comprehensive digital infrastructure is vital for the seamless flow o f electronic transactions.  
Indonesia has been investing heavily in improving broadband connectivity, expanding mobile 
network coverage, and bridging the digital divide across our wide and diverse archipelago.  Our 
experience has taught us that building a strong digital foundation is essential for inclusive growth 
and ensuring that no one is left behind.  Secondly, we recognize the importance of capacity building 
and digital literacy.  We have implemented various initiatives to enhance digital skil ls among our 
population, including the "Digital Talent Scholarship" program me and collaborations with educational 
institutions and private sectors.  Empowering individuals and businesses with digital skills enables 
them to fully leverage the benefits of dig ital trade and participate actively in the global marketplace.  
Through these policies, we have witnessed the rise of innovative start-ups, the growth of our 
e-commerce sector, and increased cross -border digital trade.  Our success stories, such as the 
expan sion of Indonesian products in international markets through digital platforms, highlight the 
transformative power of digital trade.  
1.55.  Madam Facilitator, in addressing this issue, the WTO can focus firstly on the low -hanging 
fruits, such as: prioritizing  capacity-building initiatives tailored to the needs of developing countries 
and LDCs. This can involve training programs, workshops, and technical assistance focused on 
building digital infrastructure, enhancing digital skills, and developing effective regula tory 
frameworks.  The WTO can also launch awareness campaigns to promote the benefits of digital trade 
facilitation and electronic transactions. By highlighting success stories, showcasing the potential for 
economic growth and job creation, and addressing c ommon misconceptions, the WTO can generate 
enthusiasm and support for digital trade initiatives among policymakers, businesses, and the general 
public.  In conclusion Madam Facilitator, the Indonesian delegation reaffirms our commitment to 
further advancing  digital trade facilitation and the facilitation of electronic transactions. We 
acknowledge the importance of collaboration among nations, sharing best practices, and creating a 
favourable regulatory environment. By harnessing the potential of digital tech nologies, we can build 
a more inclusive and prosperous global economy.  
1.56.  The representative of Thailand  delivered the following statement : 
1.57.   At the outset, we would like to express our appreciation for your efforts in facilitating the 
Dedicated Discussions in the past months, in which we found the discussion fruitful and observed 
Members ' active engagement. Turning to our subject today, Thailand would like to thank the United 
Kingdom , Singapore and Brazil for the ir submission s and presentations . It is very enc ouraging for 
our discussion and my capital is reviewing them with great interest. Today, we would like to briefly 
share our experience on how we vision to enhance digital trade facilitation in response to the needs 
and expectations of the business sector a s well as the current context of global trade. Last year, 
Thailand launched the National Digital Trade Platform (NDTP ), which is  a private -led initiative in 
collaboration with the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) and the Ministry 
of Digital Economy and Society, with the objective of enhancing efficiency in cross -border 
transactions and increasing access to financing particularly for SMEs.  NDTP will be a significant tool 
to improve and simplify end -to-end export and import processes,  leading to more convenient, easier 
and faster procedures with lower costs. With its connection to the relevant agencies, businesses can 
make a single submission to the NDTP rather than submitting the same document to several 
government departments. Also, NDTP improves business accountability and transparency by 
converting paper documents into electronic files that can be verified and are traceable.  
1.58.  However, NDTP is still under pilot phase, from the total five stages of development to improve 
features and functionality. During the first phase of the implementation, it involves digitizing various 
trade documents such as e -purchase orders, e -invoices, e -packing list, transport documents such 
as bills of lading and seaway bills, which will be developed accordi ng to the Trade Facilitation and 
E-business (UN/CEFACT) standard. Moreover, authenticity verification of the underlying document 
for financing by banks is also included in the first phase. Currently, we are also testing platform 
integration between Thailand NDTP and some counterparts like T radeWalt in Japan and Networked 
Trade Platform (NTP) in Singapore.  It is still at the early stage of implementation and a lot of things 
need to be done for best utilization in our case. We have learned from Members ' experience in our 
discussion today . This  has been useful for our development process in order to ensure that Thailand 's WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  NDTP provides efficient facilitations to digital trade activities and creates opportunities for businesses 
either large or small.  
1.59.  The representative of Chinese Taipei  delivere d the following statement : 
1.60.  We appreciate the presentations from Singapore, UK and Brazil on digital trade facilitation. 
To share our experiences, our government has been actively implementing a comprehensive plan 
called "DIGI+", which encompasses a range o f measures to encourage digital trade, such as 
establishing digital service platforms, promoting cross -border e -commerce, and enhancing data 
security. Among these measures, we have implemented an Electronic Customs Clearance System, 
which allows businesses  to submit customs declarations electronically and thereby reduces time and 
costs associated with traditional paper -based procedures.  Moreover, our Customs have launched a 
blockchain -enabled platform for cross -border transactions. In collaboration with a regional business 
alliance called Pan -Asian e -Commerce Alliance (PAA), we are working towards enhancing 
interoperability across blockchains. This allows traders, logistics firms, and government agencies to 
securely transmit and verify trading documents by u sing this cross -border blockchain platform.  In 
conclusion, we attach great importance to promoting digital trade facilitation. Recognizing that it can 
be a cross -cutting issue with other topics that we discussed before, such as data protection, digital 
infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, we anticipate deepening  these discussions and urge a 
pragmatic approach to be taken in the early stages before MC13.  
1.61.  The representative of European Union  delivered the following statement : 
1.62.  The EU would like to thank t he Facilitator for organising this session, in the context of your 
work plan for the reinvigoration of the e -commerce Work Programme, in particular focusing on those 
priorities, opportunities and challenges related to e -commerce that are , in particular , pertinent for 
developing countries. The EU believes that exchange of best practices on different aspects of 
facilitating better functioning of digital economies and trade and addressing its challenges is 
extremely useful and is of importance to all, develope d and developing Members.  Today we are 
addressing another pertinent topic related to the facilitation of digital trade or e -commerce, which 
is the facilitation of electronic transactions. This topic adds well to our previous discussion in the last 
dedicate d session on the importance of the customs duty-free environment related to electronic 
transmissions that the WTO e -commerce moratorium guarantees. Regulatory frameworks and policy 
tools that facilitate electronic transactions are the key elements in the w ell-functioning digital 
economies and trade. One could probably speak of many different specific elements that fall under 
this broad topic, but we would like to briefly touch upon two areas that are key in the EU 's view, 
namely facilitating the use of elec tronic signatures and electronic invoices in electronic transactions 
but also trade in general.  
1.63.  Electronic signatures provide a secure and accurate identification method for the signatory 
during a transaction. Access to electronic signature tools that are  legally enforceable in the same 
way as a paper signature are key to facilitating cross -border digital trade and  are particularly 
important as a low -cost way of ensuring legal certainty for individuals and businesses (and in 
particular MSMEs) in developing  countries. The EU first introduced legislation on electronic signatures 
in 1999, making electronic signatures easier to use and legally recognised, notably with the aim of 
facilitating efficient electronic delivery of public services and the development o f safe electronic 
transactions. At that time no specific technology was identified.  Our legislation has now a much 
broader coverage. In 2014 the eIDAS regulation on electronic identification and trust services for 
electronic transactions in the EU internal  market was adopted. It entered into force in 2016. This 
regulation ensures legal certainty for cross -border use of electronic signatures (for individuals) and 
electronic seals (for companies), timestamps , electronic delivery services (for certificates) an d 
website authentication certificates. This regulation led to a pan -European harmonization of electronic 
signatures and ensured that electronic documents could not be denied legal effect solely because 
they are in electronic form.  The EU is currently amend ing its regulation on electronic identification 
and electronic trust services in order to facilitate onboarding and usability of electronic identification 
and signature means by citizens and businesses.  The EU 's Digital Decade Policy Programme proposes 
that, by 2030, 100% of Union citizens will have access to secure electronic identification (eID) means 
recognised throughout the Union, enabling users ' full control over identity transactions and shared 
personal data.  
1.64.  But the aim is not just to facilitate dig ital trade within the EU. The EU actively cooperates with 
third countries and international organisations on electronic signatures and other trust services and WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
- 16 - 
 
  electronic identities. The objectives of collaboration with third countries are to exchange view s on 
the respective technology and policy landscapes and, where possible, work on enabling 
interoperability and mutual support for electronic trust services or help to develop electronic identity 
schemes in these third countries. This work can result in pr ojects with real -life application, like the 
recently adopted tools for validating advanced electronic signatures coming from Ukraine or 
Moldova, or in the form of pilots or proofs -of-concept to demonstrate technical feasibility of 
exchanging documents on t he basis of electronic seals, as with a recent project with Japan.  The EU 
takes part in the E -LEADERS and Thematic Group on Digital Identities of the OECD and has been 
actively involved in the approval of a model law on the Use and Cross -border Recognition  of Identity 
Management and Trust Services by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law 
(UNCITRAL).  
1.65.  Facilitation of use of electronic invoices is another key element in our view that enhances 
business efficiency and improves economic perform ance of businesses due to smoother workflows 
and operations, by reducing errors, ensuring quicker processes and reducing waste. Developing 
common or interoperable standards for electronic invoices , as the EU has done , further facilitates 
cross-border trade and keeps costs down by reducing the need for duplication of systems, which is 
of particular benefit to MSMEs.  The European electronic invoicing policy has its foundation in a 2014 
Directive on electronic invoicing i n public procurement. This Directive resulted in the definition of a 
common European standard on electronic invoicing (EN 16931) which was published by the European 
Standards Committee (CEN) in 2017 and defines the content and rules of an electronic invoic e, 
enabling automated processing of invoices. The Directive facilitates the use of electronic invoices by 
economic operators when supplying goods, works and services to public administrations, by 
harmonising technical implementation and simplifying busines s processes. The Directive requires all 
public administrations in the EU to receive and process electronic invoices compliant with the EU 
electronic invoicing standard and issued under contracts to which the EU Public Procurement 
Directives apply.  
1.66.  In addi tion to its application for public procurement in the EU since 2020, the private sector 
has also made significant use of the EU electronic invoice standard in B2B procurement. This is 
expected to develop in the coming years driven by the VAT in the Digital  Age proposal which aims 
to make electronic invoicing mandatory for domestic and cross -border B2B transactions by 2028.  
There are enormous benefits to be derived from the integration of digital processes, and in particular 
the interoperability of electroni c invoicing specifications. A voluntary shared or interoperable 
invoicing standard will stimulate the adoption of automated and interoperable business processes. 
In terms of international cooperation on electronic invoicing, the EU electronic invoicing sta ndard EN 
16931 has been adapted for use internationally via the OpenPeppol Association, a not -for-profit 
organisation, which operates the Peppol International (PINT) Invoice Model. This is compliant with 
the EU standard but applies extensions for non -EU co untries.  To date Singapore, Australia, New 
Zealand, and Japan participate in OpenPeppol and use the PINT Invoice Model. Malaysia has started 
the process of participating in OpenPeppol.  We remain available to provide any Member with 
complementary informatio n on these or other relevant topics, and to explore options for further 
cooperation.  We are open to discuss challenges that developing countries might face in creating their 
regulatory frameworks in this area and response, including capacity -building needs . 
1.67.  To conclude our intervention today, the EU looks forward to the workshop on 1 -2 June 2023 
with International Organisations and to progressing with further in -depth discussions in the 
dedicated sessions, including on the topics already covered in the cont ext of the Work Programme 
this year in advance of MC13. We would also welcome contributions from the private sector and 
academia to these discussions, as we believe that their insights and analysis would assist in 
understanding the issues and in ensuring t hat concrete benefits are achieved.  
1.68.  The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement : 
1.69.  We express our appreciation to you, Madam Chair , for convening today 's dedicated session  
and continued leadership in guiding our discussions . We also thank Singapore, United Kingdom and 
Brazil for the submission of the ir proposals or presentations. The important element of digital trade 
facilitation and facilitation of electronic transactions is, in our view, how we could promote the 
digitalization and simplification of documents, manuals, or processes of various aspects of trade or 
transactions. The digitalization of these documents and processes would bring an increase of 
convenience and a reduction of costs to various actors in international trade and  transactions. Today, 
all trade -related digital documents or data should be sent and received smoothly across borders. In WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
- 17 - 
 
  particular, such digitalization of customs or contractual procedures would allow MSMEs to focus more 
on the core elements of their own  business, so that MSMEs, wh o tend to have limited human and 
financial resources, could fully benefit from electronic commerce.  In our view, there are three 
important elements of digital trade facilitation and facilitation of electronic transactions: first , the 
legal equivalence between paper documents and digitized documents, and we believe that it is 
important to ensure that digitized documents are equally treated with paper -based documents, 
particularly in the context of legal effects, under the domestic  legal framework.  Second, ensuring 
the authenticity and non -repudiation of digitized documents, and technological prevention of 
unauthorized modification of such data or documents, which would underlie the trust in business or 
administrative procedures rel ated to international trade.  Third, the authentication of counterparts in 
the case of online transmission and receipt of documents, and it is critically important to ensure that 
the actual senders and recipients of documents or data online are the very peo ple who are originally 
intended.  These three things are important to enhance the predictability and stability of digital trade 
facilitation, particularly for stakeholders who send and receive such digitalized documents or who 
are relevant in the process of  trade and transactions, including customs authorities, administrative 
branches, and businesses.  
1.70.  We have some precedents in our trade agreements regarding digital trade facilitation and 
facilitation of electronic transactions, such as provisions o n paperle ss trading, electronic transaction 
framework, and electronic authentication and signatures. Generally, these agreements stipulate that 
digitalized documents are treated in an equal manner to paper -based documents, and the systems 
or frameworks are interope rable, meaning that we ensure some basic principles of digital trade 
facilitation and facilitation of electronic transactions as a form of agreements between national 
governments.  At the same time, we believe that we need more detailed criteria or requirem ents in 
order to achieve harmonized digitalization among actors across countries. In this regard, we see the 
growing importance of international standards.  For example, in the area of electronic invoicing, 
Japan has developed, promoted and established 'JP PINT' as the country specific standard, based on 
the relevant global standard known as 'Peppol ' (Pan European Public Procurement Online). The 
spread of such electronic invoicing aims at promoting the digitalization of back -office operations of 
businesses. The purpose of digitization for this issue is not just only to convert individual paper -based 
invoices into a digital format, but also to replace as much as possible the various analogue tasks 
associated with invoices, such as sending invoices to the other  parties, inputting them into 
accounting software and making money transfers. We would also intend to facilitate interoperability 
and interconnection with businesses in other countries by relying on the Peppol global standard as 
the basis of a country spec ific standard, so that we can create an environment where electronic 
invoicing can be used smoothly, especially by small and medium -sized Japanese enterprises that 
are involved in global transactions.   
1.71.  In addition, we have provisions of electronic authent ication and signatures in the previous 
trade agreements, which generally ensure that a Party shall not deny the legal validity of a signature 
solely on the basis that the signature is in electronic form. They also generally ensure that no Party 
will prohib it persons party to an electronic transaction from mutually determining the appropriate 
electronic authentication methods or electronic signatures for that transaction.  With respect to the 
electronic transaction framework, Japan 's legal framework is genera lly in line with the UNCITRAL 
Model Law on Electronic Commerce 1996. Thus, we also have provisions that aim at maintaining a 
legal framework governing electronic transactions consistent with the principles of the UNCITRAL 
Model Law.  To summarize, we have ensured the legal validity of digitized documents and 
interoperability of systems or frameworks among persons  party to  a transaction, on a principal  basis 
in the context of trade agreements. At the same time, we rely on some technical international 
standards or model laws created by experts in private businesses or other intergovernmental 
organizations for the specific actual arrangement of digital trade facilitation and facilitation of 
electronic transactions. We recognize that we are discussing what substantive roles the WTO can 
play in terms of electronic commerce, and in our view, this would be worth referring to as one 
possible model.  
1.72.  The representative of United States  delivered the following statement : 
1.73.  The United States welcomes today 's discussio n on digital trade facilitation and facilitation of 
electronic transactions  and greatly appreciated the sharing  of experiences and views today.  The 
United States recognizes the important role that the adoption of digital technologies can have for 
improving  trade facilitation and facilitating transactions. This is particularly important for the 
participation of small businesses in international trade by reducing transaction costs significantly.  In WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
- 18 - 
 
  US trade practice, we adopt disciplines that ensure that Part ies to the agreement adopt measures 
for the facilitation of electronic transactions that are consistent with the UNCITRAL Model Law on 
E-commerce. The Model Law along with other relevant guidelines, including the Model Law on 
Electronic Transferable Record s, ensure legal predictability in areas of importance to digital trade, 
such as electronic signatures and authentication, electronic contracts, and electronic transferable 
records.  US FTA practice on e -authentication and e -signatures focus on simple but im portant rules : 
(i) Parties to an electronic transaction should be able to mutually determine the appropriate means 
to authenticate that transaction; (ii) Parties to a transaction should have the opportunity to establish 
before relevant authorities that the ir transaction complies with relevant legal requirements; and 
(iii) Parties will not deny a signature legal validity solely because it is electronic. The same key 
principles are reflected in US law.    
1.74.  A key feature of these rules is that they do not presc ribe the use of specific technologies. The 
parties to a transaction are best situated to determine what authentication technology is appropriate 
for their transaction. The principle of technological neutrality is also articulated in the objectives of 
the U NCITRAL Model Laws on Electronic Commerce and Electronic Signatures, which encourage 
innovation in authentication technologies. These measures ensure that small businesses are able to 
take advantage of digital technologies, improving efficiency and securit y in their operations.  US trade 
practice in these areas also place importance on stakeholder engagement in the development of 
frameworks governing electronic transactions. Inclusive engagement is a key component to ensuring 
that our resulting trade policie s facilitate cross -border digital trade, enable opportunities and address 
emerging challenges, remain durable and equitable, and account for previous common policy 
shortfalls of failing to engage with communities that will be affected by those decisions. T he use of 
digital technologies in trade facilitation is also important for realizing the promise of digital trade.  
The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement improves processes and procedures for those who reach 
customers and sell goods over the Internet. It inc ludes many elements encouraging or requiring the 
use of technology in customs procedures.  
1.75.  The representative of Cambodia  delivered the following statement : 
1.76.  My delegation would like to share some information relevant to digital trade facilitation in the 
context of supporting cross -border e -commerce through small package consignments by SMEs.  
Madam Facilitator, e -commerce activities have trended upward significantly due to technological and 
digital advancements. This has led to the flourishing of small packag es trading across borders. It is 
the SMEs that are generally engaged in exports and imports of these small package consignments. 
In Cambodia, we are looking to promote and participate in global e -commerce, particularly by 
strengthening the capacity of our MSMEs to seize the growing opportunities from this sector. During 
the COVID -19 pandemic, we have seen the disruption in daily social and economic activity, and the 
supply chain and livelihood of the general population were also affected. Companies and busi nesses 
that are engaged in e -commerce have seen a rapid rise in online purchases. The COVID -19 outbreak 
has highlighted one more advantage of paperless trade: "contactless " trade. Indeed, paperless trade 
greatly reduces the need for human -to-human interact ions, making it much easier for trade to 
continue as more and more governments ask people to stay at home to minimize the spread of the 
virus.  As far as the cross -border e -commerce is concerned, the postal operator and Customs 
administration are two key pl ayers at the forefront of Cambodia 's image in the trade chains. The 
postal network allows MSMEs to participate in e -commerce by giving them an affordable and direct 
means to ship merchandise to customers and reducing the need for them to interact with 
distributors, customs brokers and retailers.  
1.77.  The fast -growing volumes of cross -border e -commerce shipments present a number of 
challenges to Customs to ensure rapid release and clearance while managing safety and security 
risks, efficient revenue collection a nd statistical analysis.  Recognizing this, Cambodia aims to elevate 
the adoption and application of modern ICT to customs processes and postal services applying to 
postal shipments, specifically on the Electronic Advance Data (EAD), or the exchanging of 
standardized postal goods declaration information between ASYCUDAWorld (AW) of General 
Department of Customs and Excise and Customs Declaration System (CDS) of Cambodia Post.  
Advanced sharing of shipment information electronically is critical in cross -border  trade facilitation. 
The lack of EAD also creates challenge s in progressing Cambodia 's commitments under Art. 7.1 on 
the Pre -Arrival Processing and Art. 7.4 on Risk Management of the WTO TFA. For the government, 
the risk of losing customs revenue looms lar ge when an advanced and effective risk management 
system is missing. Without CDS -ASYCUDAWorld integration, the pre -departure advice from the 
Cambodian customs with respect to the outbound postal shipments cannot be shared in advance to WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
- 19 - 
 
  the destination auth orities and thus the need for increased controls at import.  This implies increasing 
competitive pressure on Cambodia 's small package exports. Additionally, Cambodia 's exporters risk 
having their postal items returned or destroyed due to security and safety  measures imposed by 
certain destination countries, particularly the US, EU, China, and Australia, due to rules and 
regulatory requirements on EAD.  
1.78.  Against the above context, the Improving Small Package e -Trade for SMEs (SeT4SME) is 
initiated by the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, implemented by Swisscontact in collaboration 
with the Ministry of Commerce under the Enhanced Integrated Framework -supported project, called 
Go4eCAM, and in partnership with the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia, 
Cambodia Post and UPU, UNCTAD, and Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA).  With 
this project, Cambodia is looking to improve its trade performance and driv e inclusive growth by 
enhancing trade facilitation implementation with more transparency in trade practices and reducing 
the time and cost of cross -border trade with a focus on small package shipments. This is possible 
by enabling  and operationalizing EAD by digitizing the customs processes applying to small packages 
sent through the post as well as strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders, particularly MSMEs 
looking to ship goods internationally and upscale their small packa ge export capabilities. This 
initiative is one of the development dimensions for the LDCs . It can only be achieved if more financial 
and technical assistance , as well as capacity building programme s, from development partners and 
donors are provided in pro moting the use of e-commerce and translating e -commerce policies and 
plans into actions. In this context, the convening power of the WTO is crucial in bringing all the 
stakeholders together to find ways to support the LDCs in all their challeng ing areas, i ncluding digital 
trade facilitation.  
1.79.  The representative of  Korea , Republic of  delivered the following statement : 
1.80.  Let me join others in expressing gratitude to our colleagues from Singapore, Brazil and the 
UK for sharing their thoughts and examples of trad e facilitation efforts.  From the Korean side, we 
see that digital trade and transaction are directly linked to the country 's industrial competitiveness 
after having witnessed the fast-growing  number of domestic and cross -border digital transactions 
over th e recent years. In this respect, as we already introduced in the last dedicated session on legal 
and regulatory framework, Korea has been developing necessary regulatory frameworks to enhance 
and ensure transparency, consumer confidence, and other measures  that enable businesses to use 
and participate in the digital transactions in an efficien t and cost -effective manner. We have learned 
that communication with the domestic industry as well as with trading partners is of key importance, 
as it provides a clea rer understanding of what we need to establish effective and meaningful 
regulatory frameworks that will embrace further facilitation and expansion of digital transactions. 
Given the evolving nature of the relevant technology, we also witnessed the growing need for experts 
in digital transaction s from industry and academia. This is what Korea believes we have to keep 
working on to keep the pace with the technology advances. To address this need, the Korean 
government created a graduate programme specialized in digital trade at universities. Korea also 
runs various training programmes for expert -level workers in the field to further build their capacity 
as well as  to absorb  international standards.  
1.81.  Korea is also keen to work together with other countries to p romote digital transaction s and 
create better conditions for a global digital trade environment. Since 2015, Korea has been providing 
its electronic single window system and relevant consulting through ODA projects that assist 
developing countries with the  digitalization and modernization of customs clearance procedures. 
Sixteen countries have benefited from the projects so far. In order to support the capacity building 
of relevant authorities, Korea has invited more than 1,800 experts from developing count ries and 
provided them with training programs such as risk management skills and the introduction of 
regulatory frameworks in the customary system related to e-commerce.  Korea remains committed 
to work closely with other Members to create a favourable digital trade environment that allows us 
to enjoy the benefits of technical advancement and facilitated trade.  
1.82.  The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement : 
1.83.  To start, we wish to thank you for organising this discussion on digi tal trade facilitation and 
electronic transaction facilitation under the Work Programme on E -Commerce. Canada is pleased to 
share its views on these issues, and we look forward to hearing about other Members ' perspectives. 
On that note, we wanted to thank the previous presenters for sharing their national experiences 
through submissions or statements. The facilitation of digital trade is one of Canada 's pillars in our WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
- 20 - 
 
  approach to digital trade in our trade agreements, together with addressing barriers to di gital trade 
and creating an environment of trust and certainty in the digital economy for consumers and 
businesses. We believe that digital trade offers many benefits for businesses, such as lower 
transaction costs, customer tracking methods, greater acces s and reach to international markets. 
Such benefits can be further amplified through facilitation , and in our view, there are a variety of 
means to do so.  First and foremost, the prohibition on customs duties on electronic transmissions is 
a key form of fa cilitation of digital trade. Through the WTO moratorium on customs duties and 
commitments in our FTAs, Canada and its trading partners provide greater predictability for 
businesses and consumers trading online vis -à-vis future costs associated with doing b usiness 
online. In recognition of the growing importance of e -commerce, Canada and other Members have 
sought in recent years to take steps to advance the WTO 's work in this area. This includes working 
to transform the temporary customs duty moratorium into  a permanent prohibition by all WTO 
Members. We have also worked with 88 other WTO Members on the Joint Statement Initiative on 
E-commerce, which includes proposals related to customs duties.  As the services economy continues 
to develop and transform with technological advancements, stakeholders around the world have 
been supportive of this commitment at the WTO and in FTAs , particularly MSMEs. They recognize as 
well that it provides predictability and certainty when trading online. We have heard similar 
messages through presentations given at the WTO by business stakeholders as well as 
other  Members.  
1.84.   Another aspect of facilitating digital trade and electronic transactions consists , in our view , 
of seeking commitments in the areas of electronic authenticati on and e -signatures; electronic 
transaction framework; and cooperation. The core of these commitments is that the Parties to an 
electronic transaction should be free to mutually determine the appropriate authentication methods 
or signatures for that transa ction. Regarding e -signatures, Canada seeks to ensure that its trading 
partners do not deny the legal validity of an e -signature solely on the basis that it is an electronic 
signature. In our view, these commitments remove the threat of unnecessary regulat ory burdens 
on electronic transactions and also offer protection to users and their transactions. Commitments 
regarding the electronic transaction framework also serve to facilitate digital trade and 
e-transactions. The heart of these commitments is an agr eement to maintain a domestic legal 
framework for electronic transactions that is consistent with the principles of the UNCITRAL Model 
Law on Electronic Commerce 1996 or the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic 
Communications in International  Contracts , done at New York November 23, 2005,  namely through 
non-discrimination, technological neutrality, and functional equivalence.  Canada recognizes that 
many digital trade issues have an international scope and cannot be holistically addressed throu gh 
domestic measures alone. That is why we are here today. We include in our trade agreements 
commitments to cooperate in areas such as assisting SMEs to engage in online trade and promoting 
the accessibility for marginalized groups to engage in digital tr ade. In Canada 's eyes, this benefits 
everyone engaging in electronic commerce – and helps ensure that the benefits of trade are more 
widely shared, including with under -represented groups. We look forward to hearing other Members ' 
views on these issues. Th ank you for considering Canada 's perspectives on this matter.  
1.85.  The representative of Malaysia  delivered the following statement : 
1.86.  Malaysia would like to thank the UK, Brazil and Singapore for the presentations at today 's 
dedicated session.  The trading commu nity in Malaysia is a vibrant one comprising not only traders, 
manufacturers, importers, exporters, forwarders, shipping agents, warehouse and depot operators, 
but also transport and logistics players, and banking and insurance agencies. This network is fu rther 
linked across the region and globally.  At the domestic front, Malaysia has been actively utilising her 
National Single Window (NSW), a B2G electronic trade facilitation which has been in operation since 
2009. It is an initiative of the Malaysian Gove rnment, led by the Ministry of Finance where the 
platform serves as a single gateway to facilitate trade and increase efficiency of the Government 
service delivery by simplifying and harmonising trade processes by integrating various government 
agencies in volved in trade facilitation.  The NSW allows traders to submit their trade -related 
documents electronically to multiple agencies through a single submission, eliminating the need for 
multiple physical submissions and reducing paperwork.  The system which currently comprises of six 
core eServices namely ePCO, ePermit, ePermitSTA, eManifest, eDeclare and ePayment connects to 
more than 35 Permit Issuing Agencies , including our Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry 
(MITI), more than 50 au thorities, 16 banks, 167 Customs stations, 16 FTA schemes and 
45,000  subscribers.  WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
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  1.87.  At the regional front, Malaysia and all other A SEAN  Member States have embarked on a 
collaboration in a regional trade facilitation initiative named ASEAN Single Window (ASW)  with the 
main purpose to achieve an all -inclusive trade facilitation initiative across ASEAN. In realising the 
ASW, ASEAN member states have collaborated closely to enable exchanging of harmonised and 
standardised trade related documents in an environment  where ASEAN member states' respective 
NSWs are interconnected and interoperable to enable trade related documents to be exchanged 
electronically. Malaysia looks forward to engaging in this topic in the near future.  
1.88.  The representative of Australia  delivere d the following statement : 
1.89.  It has been very useful today to hear other Members ' experiences, priorities and challenges 
faced in the area of digital trade facilitation. Like many of those that have spoken already, Australia 's 
experience is that digitisation offers the potential to increase the efficiency of commercial 
transactions.  The aims of interoperability and simplicity have informed Australia 's efforts to progress 
a more streamlined cross -border trading environment. The Australian Government is currently 
pursuing a Simplified Trade System reform agenda that will deliver a digital  'tell us once ' trade 
system, improving user experiences for businesses.  Australia brings these goals to the negotiation 
of digital trade chapters in our international trade agreements.  As some others have mentioned this 
afternoon, relevant trade agreemen t provisions include those promoting the digitisation and 
streamlining of customs documents, and those providing for legal validity of electronic signatures 
and electronic contracts. Australia is also committed to working with its international development  
partners in support of their trade facilitation reform efforts. We have been pleased to support 
relevant trade facilitation capacity building programs at the World Bank, WTO and through the Global 
Alliance for Trade Facilitation.  We look forward to contin uing these discussions and working with 
other Members to support trade facilitation efforts in the digital economy.  
1.90.  The Chairperson  invited  Brazil,  Singapore, and the United Kingdom, to take the floor in case 
they wished to make any comments.  
1.91.  The represen tative of Singapore  delivered the following statement :  
1.92.  I would like to give a short remark in terms of how the discussions earlier, or the sharing of 
experiences have really highlighted some of these common princip les that we are all talking about. 
I thin k this would be something that we can take forward in more concrete terms in the following 
sessions echoing what the EU mentioned just now as well.  
1.93.  The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement :  
1.94.  I would just like to thank all the Members that appreciated the sharing  of Brazil's experience. 
I also agree that we covered a very broad topic, not just on digital trade facilitation but facilitation 
of electronic transactions.  Specifically, regarding sin gle windows, we are aware that in terms of 
implementation rate of the TFA, this may be the provision with the lowest implementation rate.  But 
we do believe that there are many options available for developing countries and LDCs to catch up 
and implement el ectronic single window system s. We are interested in understanding better, what 
are the difficulties these  countries face with regards to single windows and also digital trade 
facilitation in general.  
1.95.  The representative of United Kingdom  delivered the fol lowing statement : 
1.96.  Thank you Chair, I wanted to take the floor to thank all the Members for their engagement 
and their really inciteful comments . The UK looks forward to future discussions on these topics.  
1.97.  The Chairperson  requested all delegations to send their statements by the end of business 
the following day or as soon as possible, to be able to include them in the minutes  of proceedings. 
She noted that, given the short convening notice, she did not expect the high level of substantive 
discussion  that t ook place . She noted that there had been interventions from Latin America,  Africa, 
the Caribbean, Asia, Middle East, Canada and US, Europe  and UK; and she had worried that there 
had been no intervention from the Pacific and then Australia  had intervened . In that regard the 
meeting did  cover , to a certain extent , part of the Pacific as well . This had been useful and she hoped 
that next time there would  again  be a broad geographical spectrum of people intervening. The 
Chairperson noted a few points including  that everyone ha d a national experience they want ed to WT/GC/WPEC/M/5  
 
- 22 - 
 
  share . Although not all 164 Members  had taken the floor , a large group of Members  was heard , and 
she was  amazed by the fact that everybody was working in one direction. The themes raised were 
the same  – increased efficiency, single window , ASYCUDA,  cross-border  cooperation,  financial  
inclusion  –  but this was, as many delegations had said, linked to other issues previously discussed  
for example with respect to regulatory frameworks , the digital  divide,  and digital infrastructure. All 
delegations had  a story to tell, and all were keen to say that they were making progress, that they 
were doing  better, that they were reducing  the number of sheets being printed and quite 
substantively so. Things that used to happen in three days  were now happening  in two days. It had 
been a bit of a repeat  of the previous trade facilitation discussion but there were maybe some leads 
into finding  what the  WTO could do.  
1.98.  She noted  that the UNCITRAL Model Law had come about in 1996 , meaning that work on the 
model law had started  before 1996. The Work Programme  on E-commerce had come about in 1998 , 
25 years later  and Members were  still trying to understand, what the WTO c ould do and the 
landscape had evolved significantly since then. What she had found interesting at the present 
meeting had been a statement by the EU  about  cooperation agreements  that tried  to help countries 
increase efficiency.  She sought  Member 's views on  what the WTO could  do. She asked whether that 
could be  an option that could be looked  at, looking at what Members had in their trade agreements , 
what had been done in this area , and whether this could be replicated, eith er at a bilateral  level or 
at the multilateral level, where it could become a sort of a mandatory component  that would help 
Members  reach the same levels  of digital preparedness . She sought Members' views, on how to  
make that cooperation visible in real terms and actually deliver on trade , and on whether that would 
be a viable option for the WTO.  She reiterated that  it was not a stand -alone issue, it was linked to 
all that had been previously  discussed ; and asked whether there was  anything that the WTO could 
do or whether delegations  were ma inly looking at this as a sharing of experiences  exercise  without 
clarity on where to go from there .  
1.99.  The representative of Saudi Arabia , Kingdom of  delivered the following statement :  
1.100.   Thank you, Madam Chair, for sharing your reflections with us. We agree with you and with 
our colleagues from the EU that cooperation  is very important. Why can't we have a session about 
cooperation ? The WTO Secretariat is always here helping us , but it is Member driven; this has to 
come from us. We could have a session on co operation  looking at  where we can make  cooperation 
work and in which area. In FTAs when we have all these different provisions on digital trade,  we 
always have this cooperation  part betw een our trading members. So, it would be interesting here to 
discuss how we can incorporate among us, international cooperation , the role of international 
organizations in general, including the WTO.  
1.101.   The Chairperson  said that at the upcoming workshop with  the IGOs, this was something that 
could be raised,  and Members could ask the IGOs to give more information on cooperation and how 
different countries are doing  including with respect to  cooperation agreements with other countries 
as well.  
1.102.   The representat ive of the European Union  delivered the following statement :  
1.103.   Madam  Chair, as you referred to my intervention,  I wanted to follow up that indeed we have 
trade provisions on similar topics  and our priorities on a number of elements match. We also have 
similar regulatory legislative developments at home to address the opportunities and challeng es of 
digital trade . But indeed,  as mentioned  in my intervention before, the element  of internation al 
cooperation, either bilaterally or through relevant organizations , is equally important in 
understanding the capacity needs or regulatory capacity needs on the same issues. In whatever 
form, this is a cross -cutting horizontal topic that could be address ed as we are discussing various 
specific e -commerce related issues, but there could also be one dedicated discussion  on these 
elements. I just wanted to extend my support to this issue.  
1.104.   The Chairperson  asked whether the EU had  standard  provisions in agreem ents or whether 
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  1.105.   The representative of European Union  delivered the following statement:  
1.106.   They are fitted according to the country that we deal with , but outside trade agreements 
there are also various bilateral or regional cooperation projects that work on the same opportunities 
and challenges .  Within  the European Union , at the level of our member states , there is also a lot of 
cooperation  activities on various digital trade related issues. There is probably no s tandard approach, 
but this is an important element in our agreement s. 
1.107.   The Chairperson  said that she would leave the discussion there for Members  to think about . 
She noted that Membe rs would soon need to start thinking about how  to move forward and how 
best to do so. She referred to the question asked at the start of the meeting – there were many 
things that could be done but what was it that the WTO c ould do? She thanked delegations for their 
continued interest and participation in the dedicated discussions. She recalled that she was only the 
facilitator . She was able to facilitate only because the Members were enabling her. If Members did 
not want  to talk to each other , then there would not be much she could  do. She wished to ensure 
that Members remained  able and capable of discussions .  
1.108.   She informed Members that  the April Dedicated Discussion minutes of proceeding s had been 
circulate d on 5 May (WT/GC/WPEC/M /4). On the way forward, th e invitation and draft programme 
for the IGO workshop on 1  and 2 June had been  circulated  the previous  week in document ICN/GC/3. 
The work plan until MC13 had also been circulated the previous week in document ICN/GC/4 . A 
Dedicated Discussion on digital industrialization  would be held on Friday , 23 June , followed by a 
Dedicated Discussion on the moratorium on Tuesday, 18  July. On Thursday, 21 September , there 
would be a  Dedicated  Discussion  on e-commerce -related technology  transfer . The meetings o n 18 
October, 14  November and 8 December would  look at convergence , preparations for MC13 and the 
way forward.  Since the Senior  Officials meeting was  likely to take place in the late part of October, 
she had  asked the GC Chair person  and the DG not to inclu de the 18 October as one of the ir potential 
dates . In addition,  Thursday, 20 January 2024, had been blocked for last minute preparations  
for MC13 .  
1.109.   The Chairperson said that she would be looking at the minutes of proceeding to see where 
there was a meeting  of minds and how Members could work together. She urged delegations to  look 
back at the minutes to see if there were possible areas o n which they might be able to converge. 
On the question o f cooperation , i.e., what the WTO c ould do, or was doing already , in terms of 
capacity building , there was need for something more substantive  – what could be done  in terms of 
facilitating e -commerce? ; how  could Members take  things forward in common accord ? She thanked 
all delegations and adjourned t he me eting.  
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SINGAPORE'S PRESENTATION: TRADE DIGITALISATION - 
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