Négociations de l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique parmi les membres de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce : État des lieux et impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19

This report examines the status of the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce among World Trade Organization (WTO) members as of February 2021, specifically analyzing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on these negotiations and the broader digital economy. It details the acceleration of e-commerce adoption, the persistence of the digital divide, and the progress of ten thematic small groups working toward a consolidated negotiating text for the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-commerce and digitalization across various sectors. Internet visits increased by 50% to 70% in March 2020, and some business executives reported that the digitalization of professional activities and supply chains accelerated by seven years compared to pre-pandemic levels. Major platforms saw significant growth: Jumia Technologies AG reported a 51% year-on-year increase in active consumers in Q1 2020, and Mercado Libre, Inc. saw a 45.2% increase in unique active users in Q2 2020.
• The pandemic highlighted a significant digital divide, where the ability to transition to e-commerce varied by economic status and geography. High-income countries saw a 12.8 percentage point increase in internet use in Q1 2020, compared to 7.5 points in emerging economies and only 1.3 points in lower-middle-income countries. Vulnerable populations in rural areas, particularly women and girls, faced increased marginalization due to limited access to remote education, digital finance, and essential services.
• As of February 2021, 86 WTO members participate in the JSI on e-commerce, representing over half of all WTO members and 90% of global trade. This group includes four Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Benin, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Burkina Faso, and six African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Nigeria.
• Negotiations are organized into ten small groups focusing on specific issues to reduce divergences. Progress has been noted in areas such as 'spams' (where a 'clean text' was finalized in early 2021), consumer protection, and electronic signatures. However, other areas remain complex; for example, while most participants agree on not requiring the disclosure of source codes for intellectual property protection, the technical nature of the discussions makes them difficult to follow.
• Significant divergences persist regarding data flows, data access, privacy, and cybersecurity. The European Union emphasizes fundamental rights, the United States advocates for the free cross-border flow of data for commercial purposes, and China views data flows as subject to security prerequisites. Many JSI members lack the national expertise or data-driven companies necessary to engage effectively in these specific negotiations.
• There is limited progress on provisions specifically targeting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), gender, and LDCs. Only Brazil and China submitted proposals specifically covering MSME interests. Regarding gender, only two general non-discriminatory provisions were proposed by Canada. For LDCs and developing countries, China and Indonesia are the only participants to submit text proposals on capacity building and technical assistance, with China being the sole member to propose text on the 'digital divide'.
• The WTO's long-standing moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions remains a point of contention. While developed countries seek to make the moratorium permanent, some developing countries question its utility and request structured discussions on its impact and definition. Indonesia, among the JSI participants, opposed the extension of the moratorium.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Négociations de l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique parmi les membres de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce : État des lieux et impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-06/e-commerce-negotiations-wto-members-covid-19-fr.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Négociations de l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique parmi les membres de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce : État des lieux et impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-06/e-commerce-negotiations-wto-members-covid-19-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Négociations de l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique parmi les membres de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce : État des lieux et impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-06/e-commerce-negotiations-wto-members-covid-19-fr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndngociations, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Négociations de l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique parmi les membres de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce : État des lieux et impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-06/e-commerce-negotiations-wto-members-covid-19-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }