E-commerce
Digital trade policies increasingly shape the conditions of competition in the international market. IISD’s work helps developing countries to assess how best to advance, and protect, their interests and how to build inclusive global e-commerce frameworks that advance sustainable development everywhere. We provide impartial, objective support to negotiators engaged in the WTO E-Commerce negotiations.
In today's interconnected world, domestic and international regulations governing digital trade must serve as bridges, ensuring equitable access to the benefits of e-commerce for businesses and consumers everywhere. Our work supports the development of e-commerce frameworks that integrate sustainable development principles, such as inclusivity, data privacy protection, environmental sustainability, and digital literacy. We work at the multilateral, regional, and national levels to help shape digital trade rules that foster development and narrow global disparities.
Drawing on years of experience, we empower developing and least developed country negotiators to navigate WTO discussions on e-commerce. Through impartial analysis, we equip members with the insights needed to articulate their needs, positions, and priorities.
Research and publications
The Evolving Context and Dynamics of the WTO Joint Initiative on E-Commerce
This report aims to give a stocktake of the Joint Statement Initiative on e-commerce as of December 2022 while focusing on dynamics and developments throughout the year and considering recent trends in the e-commerce policy activity and governance landscape at the national, regional, and multilateral levels.
Cooperation, Capacity Building, and Implementation Considerations of Developing Countries in the E-Commerce Joint Statement Initiative
This paper highlights ways to support developing countries to participate in negotiations and implement proposed text provisions under the JSI on e-commerce.
Negotiating Services Market Access under the E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative: A development perspective
This brief examines the negotiations on services market access within the Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce among a group of WTO Members.
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Analysis
E-Commerce Takes Centre Stage at World Trade Organization in Run-up to MC13
Yasmin Ismail and Rashmi Jose explore the developments in the role and dynamics of trade-related e-commerce discussions leading up to the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference.
Inside MC13: Why are E-Commerce negotiations taking centre stage?
IISD expert Rashmi Jose analyzes the future of E-Commerce negotiations ahead of the World Trade Organization's Thirteenth Ministerial Conference (WTO) (MC13) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
E-commerce and Plastic Packaging Regulations
This article explores the global trend of governments employing policy instruments to combat plastic pollution, particularly focusing on the experimentation with regulations targeting a wider range of single-use plastic items beyond single-use plastic bags, highlighting the potential for shared learning among countries.
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The need for regulating informal e-commerce
The International Institute for Sustainable Development reported that "E-commerce has grown significantly in recent years. E-commerce retail sales, estimated in 2020 at USD 4.25 trillion, make up a growing share of total retail sales and could rise to nearly a quarter by 2025. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend, which is expected to persist as consumers continue to alter their shopping behaviour." Bhutan is no exception, particularly when it comes to informal e-commerce. However, only a limited number of e-commerce businesses in Bhutan are currently regulated, posing serious vulnerabilities for consumers due to rampant emergence of unregulated e-commerce.