Business issues recommendations on new global agreement to support e-commerce for SMEs
Business recommendations on a proposed World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on e-commerce have been unveiled today at WTO headquarters in Geneva, as part of the on-going WTO business dialogue process launched in May this year.
The proposal echoes calls from business leaders for the WTO to play a central role in underpinning an open, reliable and secure global digital economy, and calls for the WTO to consider launching new talks on a holistic package of trade disciplines, rules and assistance to boost micro, small- and medium-sized business (MSMEs) e-commerce, with an overriding objective to promote inclusive growth.
The proposal from business is built around three pillars: connectivity and capacity building for e-commerce, enabling MSMEs to get goods sold online to consumers more efficiently (trade facilitation 2.0) and digital rules.
International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) Secretary General John Danilovich presented the proposal on behalf of the world business organization during a meeting of the ICC-led business focus group, established by the WTO to seek private sector views on new ways to strengthen the multilateral trade agenda.
The meeting took place during the WTO’s annual Public Forum taking place this week.
Follow @iccwbo and ICC Secretary General @JohnDanilovich at #WTOPublicForum.
