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e-commerce | digital economy


Easing e-com to hit small units
Freeing up digital trade under RCEP could hurt consumer protection, manufacturing sector
Canada urged to do more to protect data from US during NAFTA talks
At issue is so-called “data localization,” which would allow the government to protect the sensitive personal information of Canadians from unwanted American intrusion, by storing it in Canada.
Shrinking transparency in the NAFTA and RCEP negotiations
Provisions on digital trade are quietly being squared away in both of the two major trade negotiations currently underway—the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade talks.
Regulating across the digital divide
If the world’s three major economies the US, the EU, and China were ever to harmonise their approach to regulating digital trade and global data flows, the pressure on developing countries to accept digital rules would intensify.
Concerns over proposed TPP11 next steps re e-commerce
The beneficiaries of the TPP’s e-commerce rules will be the major US technology companies, and possibly those from China (neither of whom have to provide market access in return in the TPP11), civil society statement says.
Internet freedom and public interest groups concerns re TPP11 proposed next steps
Stronger intellectual property protection does not benefit the TPP11 but would benefit the US in return for no concessions by the USA, a civil society letter to ministers asserts
Rising demands for data localization a response to weak data protection mechanisms
Don’t trust data localization exceptions in trade agreements to guarantee protection of personal data.
NAFTA, Trump and the cloud: What the negotiations mean for your personal data
Washington wants few restrictions on cross-border data transfers and has taken aim at rules in other countries that require certain digital information to be stored on computers located within their national borders.
US push for freer NAFTA e-commerce meets growing resistance
A US proposal for Mexico and Canada to vastly raise the value of online purchases that can be imported duty-free from stores like Amazon.com and eBay is emerging as a flashpoint in an upcoming renegotiation of the NAFTA trade deal.
E-commerce RCEP chapter: Have big tech’s demands fizzled?
The latest information is that the e-commerce chapter of RCEP will be far less ambitious, dealing mostly with familiar and uncontentious issues such as standards for electronic payments and signatures.
Trading away our digital rights
India must first secure its digital sovereignty before it can begin global trade talks.
Canadians’ personal data on the table in NAFTA negotiations
The personal information of Canadians will be on the negotiating table when North American free trade talks.
RCEP IP chapter: A serious threat to access to knowledge/cultural goods?
RCEP stands to adversely affect nearly half of the world’s population on areas like access to knowledge and access to medicines. We would like to highlight five issues related to access to knowledge/cultural goods, based on the leaked IP chapter.
Indian e-commerce platforms could suffer RCEP jolt
Control over data will yield tremendous influence and profit-making, experts say.
E-com: RCEP nations start detailed talks
Source code disclosure ‘curb,’ a worry.
E-commerce, border technology top NAFTA wish list
U.S. flooded wth comments ahead of renegotiation of trade deal.
EFF to USTR: IP doesn’t belong in NAFTA. For the rest, talk to us.
The United States Trade Representative has opened a window for the TPP’s proponents to try to use NAFTA to establish at least some of the dangerous TPP’s so-called intellectual property (IP) rules.
India not keen to put e-commerce under FTA with Russia-led group
India has so far rejected bids to include market access negotiations on e-commerce at multilateral level.
RCEP’s digital trade negotiations remain shrouded in secrecy
There has also been no official release of the chapters and textual proposals related to rules that are being tabled.
Trump’s USTR nominee pledges tough enforcement of U.S. trade laws
Lighthizer pledged to fight for strong protections for intellectual property rights and for digital trade access.