ICC conference to boost multi-party talks on facilitating digital trade

The event builds on the conviction that efficient paperless trade could save governments and companies millions of dollars each year while increasing the security of transactions, and contributing to economic growth and social development.

Open to all, ICC’s Facilitating Trade in the Digital Economy conference will be particularly useful for business, trade, finance, supply chain, logistics, tax and legal practitioners as well as government regulators, policymakers, and academics. Those registering before 14 February can catch a 20-30% discount.

“This ICC event answers an urgent need for businesses, governments and legal experts to address the regulatory and practical issues that arise when paper-based trade and administrative processes are replaced by electronic systems. A more coordinated international approach to digital interactions would improve trade flows considerably,” said Jean-Guy Carrier, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce, who will open the conference with a welcome address.

The challenge has been for companies to submit business-to-business transaction data to a range of varying government-controlled systems. This variety of requirements is often incompatible with typical business control frameworks and technologies.

Joseph Alhadeff, Vice President, Global Public Policy, Chief Privacy Strategist, Oracle Corporation, United States; Chair, ICC Commission on the Digital Economy, said: “Governments worldwide use information and communication technologies (ICT) to work more effectively with business. Regulations and processes, however, often vary, even within countries, meaning that the ways in which countries approach electronic trade procedures and e-government is increasing in variety and complexity. This comes with its own set of challenges and results in many different – and often conflicting – approaches to the ways businesses and governments interact electronically. Business and government regulators need to collaborate and coordinate more effectively in order to improve electronic trade procedures in a mutually beneficial way.”

To address these issues and seek solutions, the conference brings together leading experts from governments in emerging and industrialized markets, digital economy user companies, ICT provider organizations, law firms, and intergovernmental organizations. Here are just a few of the experts lined up to speak: John Bescec, Director, Global Trade Policy and Standards, Microsoft; Charles Bryant, Public Policy Adviser, OB10; Co-Chairman, European e-Invoicing Service Providers Association; Michael Scholl, Chairman, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law; and Gaozhang Zhu, Director, Enforcement and Facilitation, World Customs Organization.

Through a series of plenary sessions feeding into interactive workshops, participants will join speakers in exploring practical examples of electronic supply chain management and law enforcement.

“The plenary sessions and interactive workshops will enable both participants and speakers to showcase practical examples of digital supply chain management and law enforcement solutions,” said Daniel Hubert of the Digital Coding & Tracking Association, who along with Oracle are sponsors of the unique conference.

ICC’s conference on Facilitating Trade in the Digital Economy is organized with the support of Digital Trust and Compliance Europe, EDIFICE, the European E-invoicing Service Providers Association, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, ICC Switzerland, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

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For more information about the work ICC does relating to the digital economy please visit ICC Advocacy Codes & Rules