Remédier au fossé numérique dans l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique : depuis les questions d’habilitation jusqu’aux dispositions sur les données et les codes source

The document examines the evolution of the digital divide from basic infrastructure access (A2A) to access to knowledge and data (A2K). It assesses how the WTO's JSI on e-commerce addresses these gaps, arguing that current proposals—largely driven by developed nations—often overlook the developmental needs of LDCs and developing countries. Key areas of analysis include the necessity of 'enabling' e-commerce ecosystems, the risks of restrictive data flow and localization rules, and the impact of prohibiting government access to source code on technology transfer.

• The concept of the digital divide has evolved from 'Access to Access' (A2A) in the 1990s, focused on hardware and connectivity, to 'Access to Knowledge' (A2K) in the 2000s, which encompasses disparities in data access, information extraction, and knowledge creation.
• Developing countries and LDCs face significant 'enabling' hurdles to e-commerce, including limited internet access in rural areas, weak legal frameworks for consumer protection, high costs of cross-border delivery, and a heavy reliance on cash transactions.
• The JSI on e-commerce is largely based on the assumption that necessary infrastructure and regulatory frameworks are already in place, which ignores the reality of many developing members who are still establishing their e-commerce ecosystems.
• Data flows are increasingly regulated under the concept of 'information sovereignty,' with common restrictions justified by privacy protection, sectoral regulatory goals, security concerns, and the support of digital industrialization.
• Data localization requirements—obligations to store or process data locally—can create 'effective data localization' even when not legally mandated, as companies may store data locally to meet strict access requirements or avoid technical complexities.
• Proposals within the JSI regarding source code generally aim for a general prohibition on governments requiring the transfer or access to source code as a condition for market access, which may hinder technology transfer to developing nations.
• The digital divide exacerbates existing gender disparities in trade; however, e-commerce platforms can offer women unique opportunities to overcome structural constraints if gender-inclusive policies are implemented.

APA

Guglya, L., & Maciel, M. (2020). Remédier au fossé numérique dans l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique : depuis les questions d’habilitation jusqu’aux dispositions sur les données et les codes source. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/digital-divide-e-commerce-fr.pdf

Chicago

Guglya, Leonila, and Marilia Maciel. Remédier au fossé numérique dans l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique : depuis les questions d’habilitation jusqu’aux dispositions sur les données et les codes source. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/digital-divide-e-commerce-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Guglya |first1=Leonila |last2=Maciel |first2=Marilia |title=Remédier au fossé numérique dans l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique : depuis les questions d’habilitation jusqu’aux dispositions sur les données et les codes source |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=December 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/digital-divide-e-commerce-fr.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{guglya2020remdier, author = {Guglya, Leonila and Maciel, Marilia}, title = {{Remédier au fossé numérique dans l’Initiative de déclaration conjointe sur le commerce électronique : depuis les questions d’habilitation jusqu’aux dispositions sur les données et les codes source}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/digital-divide-e-commerce-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }