WTO Information Technology Symposium
The Symposium was a full-day session divided into four issue-oriented panels:
- Overview of the IT industry, technological advances/trends, innovative business applications
- Contribution of IT to economic growth and development and the role of trade in the mutual reinforcement of global and national IT policies
- Practical problems encountered in IT trade (including the possibility of presenting case studies, e.g. import licensing) and the broader effects of NTMs
- The implications of current approaches to standards making and conformity assessment (review developments in international standards and other relevant bodies).
>Chairman's Summary of the IT Symposium (uniquement en anglais)
WTO Information Technology Symposium
1. Share information about the dynamism of IT and its future: recent R&D development, technology trends and anticipated products/services
2. Explain the role of IT in promoting economic growth and development and IT's expanding contribution to the infrastructure for a global information economy.
3. Highlight the value of the application of IT, drawing on examples from developed and developing countries:
-
For business competitiveness for large and small
business;
- For government, and
- Users.
Organizational matters Back to top
The Director in Charge will open the symposium with introductory remarks. The Symposium will be chaired by Mr. Heinz Opelz, Director, Market Access Division. There will be four issue-oriented panel sessions on the subjects outlined by participants.
Program: Back to top
Morning Session | |
9:00 | Introduction: Director in Charge |
9:15 | I. Overview of the IT industry, technological advances/trends, innovative business applications Back to top |
"International Trade in IT Products" Mr.
Patrick Low (WTO Secretariat) "The Philippine IT Plan: Prospects and Problems" Mr.
Claro Parlade "Contribution of IT Industry to Economic Development An Israeli Perspective" Mr.
Hanan Achsaf "Production
of Digital Telecommunications Systems in the
Czech Republic"
Mr.
Ivan Rícar "Creation of New Industry by Digital Conversions" Mr.
Takashi Kubota --followed by a general discussion |
|
11:00 | II. Contribution of IT to economic growth and development and the role of trade in the mutual reinforcement of global and national IT policies Back to top |
"ICT Indicators Over the Period of the 90s". Mr.
Linnar Viik Mr.
Alejandro Montalvo
Mr.
Leslie Simon Mr.
Mohd. Salleh Hj. Masduki "From an Off-line to an On-line Society" Mr.
Torbjörn Ihre --followed by a general discussion |
|
13:00-14:15 | Lunch break |
Afternoon Session | |
14:15 | III. Practical problems encountered in IT trade (including the possibility of presenting case studies, e.g. import licensing) and the broader effects of NTMs Back to top |
Non-Tariff Trade Barriers in IT Trade Mr.
Dewang Mehta "Import Licensing for Information Technology Products" Mr.
David McGuire "Trading Barriers and Proposed Solutions of IT Trade" Mr.
Miin Wu "Redundant Testing and Certification as Impediments to Economic Development" Mr.
William Maxwell "Suppliers' Declaration of Conformity, Certification & Standardisation" Mr.
Michel de Vecchis --followed by a general discussion |
|
16:00 | IV. The implications of current approaches to standards making and conformity assessment (review developments in international standards and other relevant bodies). Back to top |
"IEC and Information Technology" Mr.
Jack Sheldon "Supplier Declarations of Conformity: A Case-study in Implementation". Dr.
James Galloway "Green Paper on Global Product Approval System for the Future" Mr.
Peter Deichmann "Electrical Safety and Information Technology Products" Mr.
Jean-Louis Robert --followed by a general discussion |
|
Other papers submitted and circulated Back to top >
Facilitating
Access to Information Technology through
Supplier's - > ECTEL and EUROBIT Green Paper on a Global Product Approval System for the Future >
Trade
in Information Technology Products and the
WTO Agreements |