JOB/GC/190  
 
18 June 2018 
(18-3768) Page: 1/2 
General Council  Original: English  
 
JOINT S TATEMENT ON ELECTRON IC COMMERCE  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE RUSSIAN FEDERATI ON 
The following communication, dated 15 June 2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the Russian Federation . 
 
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1.1.  Russia welcomes growing discussions under the Joint Statement on electronic commerce. 
Following our communication (JOB/GC/181) on possible ways for deepening our exploratory work 
towards future WTO negotiations on trade -related aspects of e -commerce, this submission 
advances our proposals relating to consumer protection principles.  
1.2.  Rapid growth and development of new digital technologies and e -commerce has caused 
significant changes in global economy over the past decades. These trends encourage innovations, 
create jobs and provid e unprecedented opportunities for micro and small businesses located even 
in the most remote places of the world, and, therefore enab le sustainable growth and 
socio-economic development.  
1.3.  At the same time it is online consumers and their level of knowledge and trust in emerging 
technologies, including digital ones, and new business models on e -market that become a key 
pillar for successful development of digital economy. The risks for online consumers in e -commerce 
are posed by cross -border transactions, peer to peer platforms, dispute resolution and redress, 
aggressive targeted marketing and SPAM, product/service safety and quality and electronic 
payment systems. Language barrier (quality and extent of translation) and increasing volumes of 
online trade hin der the establishment of strict rules on the structure of information brought to 
online consumers.  
1.4.  Special attention should be paid to the security and transparency of online payments. Online 
consumers should be fully informed about the nature and possible  risks of the payment service 
before it is received, and how to protect their rights. One of the key remaining problems in this 
sphere is the low level of trust in the supply of financial services through electronic means 
(systems). Lack of confidence in personal data security systems and low financial literacy in this 
area lead to the formation of incorrect consumer patterns.  
1.5.  That is why it is important to pay attention to the issues of consumer literacy ; increasing 
consumer confidence in e -commerce ; and p rotection of their rights and interests in this area.  
POSSIBLE TOPICS FOR DEEPENING DISCUSSION  ON CONSUMER TRUST IS SUES  
1.6.  Collective efforts of all interested parties are needed to increase consumer trust in digital 
economy as well as their confidence in rec eiving appropriate level of protection that is at least 
equivalent to that provided for online consumers of traditional forms of commerce.  JOB/GC/190  
 
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  1.7.   Tackling digital literacy of online consumers and expanding their access to digital economy 
could be achieved via su ch non -exhaustive practical actions, as:  
 Provide protection for online consumers ' rights on the level no less than is provided in 
traditional forms of commerce;  
 
 Endeavour  to increase the potential of online consumers to protect their rights in the 
context  of e-commerce (knowledge, skills, and opportunities);  
 
 Recognize the key online consumer rights in e -commerce, including the right for 
reliable information about goods/services;  
 
 Set basic principles for cooperation and information exchange on cross border trade for 
competent authorities and develop unified approaches for cooperation and mutual aid 
in order to prevent dishonest commercial activities in the field of e -commerce;  
 
 Ensure security of cross border transaction s carried out in e -commerce, i. e., their 
confidentiality and safety;  
 
 Ensure transparency of financial service supply, high standards of online consumer 
identification and personal data protection;  
 
 Encourage private sector to engage in good business p ractices (negative and 
positive  incentives);  
 
 Set the definition for the list of possible measures to counter cross border violations of 
online consumer rights for safety and quality of goods and services purchased, as well 
as for the information on subjects of e -commerce, goods and service s; and 
 
 Provide for the creation of a digital platform, which may contain information about the 
detection of unsafe goods and services sold online.  
 
1.8.  We would like to note that in order to increase online consumer confidence in e -commerce we 
should also elaborate standards for supply of payment services in e -commerce, including personal 
data transmission requirements (e.g. , according to these requirements the seller/payment 
aggregator can request a limited amount of information from the consumer regarding  his personal 
data; any additional data, which is not directly related to payment transaction, should not be 
requested). In addition, conditions and procedures of personal data proceedings, timeframes for 
data storage, measures for confidentiality and secu rity of personal data, as well as order of 
personal data transmission need to be developed and agreed.  
 
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