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

The report provides a status update on the WTO's Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce, noting that while the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated global digital adoption, it also highlighted significant digital divides and complicated diplomatic negotiations. As of February 2021, 86 WTO members are participating in the JSI. Progress has been made in ten specialized small groups on issues such as consumer protection and electronic signatures, but deep divergences remain regarding data flows, privacy, and cybersecurity. The document also notes limited progress on provisions specifically addressing gender, least-developed countries (LDCs), and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

• The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for digital transformation, with some estimates suggesting that the digitalization of business activities and supply chains accelerated by seven years compared to pre-pandemic levels.
• The pandemic exacerbated the digital divide, particularly in rural areas and among women, limiting access to essential services, digital finance, and remote education.
• As of February 2021, the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce includes 86 WTO members, representing over half of the organization's membership and 90% of global trade.
• Negotiations have progressed through ten small groups focusing on specific issues; notably, a 'clean text' was finalized for the issue of unsolicited commercial messages (spams) by February 2021.
• Significant divergences persist among JSI participants regarding data flows and privacy, with the EU emphasizing fundamental rights, the US advocating for free cross-border data flows for commercial purposes, and China conditioning data flows on security.
• There has been limited progress on integrating the needs of MSMEs, gender considerations, and LDCs into the negotiating text, with only a few proposals submitted by countries like Brazil, China, and Canada.
• The transition to virtual and hybrid diplomacy during the pandemic created challenges for the WTO, including concerns over transparency, security, and the loss of informal negotiation spaces.

APA

Ismail, Y. (2021). 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. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-06/e-commerce-negotiations-wto-members-covid-19-fr.pdf

Chicago

Ismail, Yasmin. 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. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-06/e-commerce-negotiations-wto-members-covid-19-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ismail |first1=Yasmin |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 |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2021 |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{ismail2021ngociations, author = {Ismail, Yasmin}, 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}, year = {2021}, month = apr, 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} }