Évolution du contexte et des dynamiques associés à l’Initiative conjointe de l’OMC sur le commerce électronique

The report provides a comprehensive stocktake of the WTO's Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce at the end of 2022. It highlights a shift toward a less ambitious 'light' agreement focusing on minor facilitation points, while more contentious issues like market access and data flows remain unresolved. The document notes the rise of flexible Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs) and an increased focus on the digital divide within the broader WTO work programme. By December 2022, 87 WTO members participated in the JSI, though participation from African countries and Least Developed Countries remains marginal. The report details the progress of various technical small groups, noting that 10 articles have reached a 'cleaned' or 'convergent' state, while others, such as source code and cryptography, face persistent divergences.

• As of December 2022, 87 WTO members officially participate in the JSI on e-commerce, but the involvement of African nations and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is limited; only seven African members participate, including two LDCs (Benin and Burkina Faso).
• The consolidated negotiation text updated in December 2022 (INF/ECOM/62/Rev.3) shows a dilution of political coverage and a structural reorganization, notably the removal of 'Section F: Market Access' and the creation of a new 'Annex' for proposals that lack sufficient support or complicate WTO integration.
• There is a growing trend toward 'Digital Economy Agreements' (DEAs), which are described as flexible, 'exclusively digital' arrangements that address emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and digital identities more effectively than traditional trade treaties.
• The WTO's broader Work Programme on e-commerce has shifted its focus toward the 'digital divide' and development challenges, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a ministerial decision in June 2022 to revitalize the programme with a development dimension.
• By the end of 2022, 10 articles had been reworked into 'cleaned' or 'convergent' texts, including those on paperless trade, electronic contracts, electronic authentication and signatures, online consumer protection, and cybersecurity.
• Significant divergences persist regarding cross-border data flows; while a group of seven members (including the US, UK, and Japan) proposed limiting exceptions to 'legitimate public policy objectives', the EU and Nigeria maintain different positions regarding privacy and development space.
• New initiatives for digital inclusion were introduced in late 2022, including a Capacity Building Framework for e-commerce and specific proposals from Côte d'Ivoire on special and differential treatment and from New Zealand on the inclusion of indigenous peoples and women.

APA

Ismail, Y. (2023). Évolution du contexte et des dynamiques associés à l’Initiative conjointe de l’OMC sur le commerce électronique. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-04/wto-joint-initiative-e-commerce-fifth-year-stocktake-fr.pdf

Chicago

Ismail, Yasmin. Évolution du contexte et des dynamiques associés à l’Initiative conjointe de l’OMC sur le commerce électronique. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-04/wto-joint-initiative-e-commerce-fifth-year-stocktake-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ismail |first1=Yasmin |title=Évolution du contexte et des dynamiques associés à l’Initiative conjointe de l’OMC sur le commerce électronique |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-04/wto-joint-initiative-e-commerce-fifth-year-stocktake-fr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ismail2023volution, author = {Ismail, Yasmin}, title = {{Évolution du contexte et des dynamiques associés à l’Initiative conjointe de l’OMC sur le commerce électronique}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-04/wto-joint-initiative-e-commerce-fifth-year-stocktake-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }