bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

e-commerce | digital economy

Eleven Pacific nations move on trade pact with data transfer provisions…without US
28-Feb-2018 BNA
The 11 countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP are retaining all of the digital trade and electronic commerce provisions from the original agreement.
The battle over TiSA: when everything is a service, a Trade in Services Agreement affects everyone
26-Feb-2018 IUF
A new report reveals the scope of the corporate power grab through a close examination of TiSA’s potential impact on workers across the IUF sectors and TiSA’s broader implications for the labour movement, society and democratic governance.
EU moves to remove barriers to data flows in trade deals
13-Feb-2018 Reuters
The European Union will seek to break down barriers to the flow of data between businesses in future trade deals, as it tries to promote a more digital economy while also protecting privacy.
EU-MERCOSUR FTA: Ecommerce draft chapter (Nov 2017)
19-Jan-2018
Risks for agriculture in developing countries of new e-commerce rules
11-Jan-2018 Alai
Reliance on digital technologies can further concentrate the market dominance of vertically integrated agribusinesses and transnational corporations who control national and global supply chains.
Data is the new oil, so big tech is pushing for a digital free trade deal
14-Dec-2017 BuzzFeed
Decades ago it was pharmaceuticals, oil and food. Now tech giants want data to be the next frontier in the free trade agenda.
What the European-Union Mercosur trade agreement means for copyright
13-Dec-2017 Public Knowledge
Many of the intellectual property provisions raised by the European Union in this agreement are bad for internet users.
EU-Japan trade agreement not compatible with EU data protection
11-Dec-2017 FFII
The implicit cross-border data flow commitments do not have a sufficient safeguard. This is not compatible with the EU Fundamental rights system.
NAFTA’s digital trade chapter could be finalized next month
30-Nov-2017 EFF
Some rules proposed for NAFTA’s Digital Trade chapter are troublesome.
Trump pushes to limit Facebook and Google’s liability in Nafta
23-Nov-2017 Bloomberg
The Trump administration is pushing to add legal protections in Nafta that would limit the liability of internet giants such as Google and Facebook, marking the latest in a tug-of-war as policy makers balance policing the web with protecting free speech.
MEPs amp up pressure on Commission over digital trade
23-Nov-2017 Euractiv
MEPs are exerting pressure on the European Commission to draw up rules on data flows in foreign trade agreements, an area where the EU executive has so far not pinned down any tangible policy.
Letter from BusinessEurope on cross-border data flows
3-Nov-2017 BusinessEurope
BusinessEurope has a clear position on this issue. We support a solution that enables cross-border data flows and effectively tackles forced data localisation when it is disproportionate and unjustified.
The risks for ASEAN of new mega-agreements that promote the wrong model of e-commerce
30-Oct-2017 ERIA
Digital technology offers exciting new opportunities and advances for ASEAN member states, individually and as a region. The benefits have so far been captured by first movers, especially in the United States.
E-commerce liberalization in RCEP must consider small entrepreneurs
30-Oct-2017 Gres News
Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) urges Indonesian government to not open up e-commerce to RCEP
Easing e-com to hit small units
23-Oct-2017 The Hindu Businessline
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
2-Oct-2017 Toronto Star
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
15-Sep-2017 EFF
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
12-Sep-2017 MENAFN
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
24-Aug-2017
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
24-Aug-2017
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