"It is encouraging to see Members, at different levels of development, taking meaningful steps towards a deeper discussion and broader understanding of e-commerce issues," DDG Yi said, adding that initiatives such as this "should not be a departure from multilateralism, but a way to help and support it."

He concluded:  "I am sure that your leadership in this initiative will contribute to a rich and varied discussion grounded on the needs and challenges faced by the wide range of stakeholders involved in e-commerce – businesses and entrepreneurs, governments, and consumers."

His full speech is available below.

E-commerce Joint Statement meeting

Good morning.

I am pleased to join you today and to speak also on behalf of the Director-General who unfortunately could not be here.

As seen prior to the Buenos Aires Ministerial Conference and at the Conference itself, e-commerce was, and remains high on the agenda of many – not only at the government level but also within the business community given the growing awareness of the potential for growth and development that e-commerce can provide. I therefore wish to congratulate you all for this joint initiative and for convening this first meeting. 

E-commerce is clearly an important aspect of the current economy. We are all witnessing how the spread of digital technologies and the availability of broader internet access have changed the traditional way of doing business and conducting trade. While the potential is there, we are also aware of the many e-commerce development-related challenges which range from infrastructure to capacity constraints particularly in developing and least-developed countries. The Joint Statement was signed by a large and diverse group of WTO Members including LDCs, developing and developed members. It is encouraging to see Members, at different levels of development, taking meaningful steps towards a deeper discussion and broader understanding of e-commerce issues.

Since July 2016, Members have been submitting proposals identifying broad issues of interest in the e-commerce discussions. These have included issues under the broad headings of e-commerce facilitation; regulatory issues; payment as well as more challenging issues such as data flows and server localisation. How discussions under this initiative will develop will very much depend on you. 

As the Director General mentioned at the informal TNC/HODs meeting on 5 March, initiatives such as this should not be a departure from multilateralism, but a way to help and support it. It will be important to ensure that this work complements our multilateral efforts. In this regard, I think it is commendable that you, the proponents of this initiative, have decided to keep these discussions within the WTO and open to all Members. This will be important to harness broader synergies and ensure that different perspectives are taken into account.

Inclusiveness and transparency have been the guiding principles of our work and are essential in building trust amongst members. So, I encourage you to keep this initiative open and to continue reaching out to other Members. As with any initiative from Members, the Secretariat will be at your disposal to help if you so require. But I must stress that such initiatives remain Member-driven.

I hope that you will be able to take meaningful steps towards deeper discussions and clearer way forward on e-commerce issues, which will be of benefit to all Members. I am sure that your leadership in this initiative will contribute to a rich and varied discussion grounded on the needs and challenges faced by the wide range of stakeholders involved in e-commerce – businesses and entrepreneurs, governments, and consumers.

I wish you a productive meeting.

Thank you.