ITU Regional Seminar on E-commerce Bucharest, Romania 14-17 May 2002 National E-commerce Strategies for Development Dr. Susanne Teltscher United Nations.

ITU Regional Seminar on E-commerceBucharest, Romania14-17 May 2002

National E-commerce Strategies for Development

Dr. Susanne Teltscher

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

www.unctad.org/ecommerce

[email protected]

Presentation outline

Why do we need national e-commerce strategies?

What has been done so far? What are the key elements of e-

strategies? How do we design and

implement e-strategies?

Need for e-commerce strategies

E-commerce strategies or ICT strategies?

E-commerce and development E-commerce and productivity

growth An enabling environment for e-

commerce

A survey of existing strategies

51 countries 37 developing countries 14 developed countries

At various stages Formulating policies Implementing strategies

A survey of existing strategies

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101520253035404550

A survey of existing strategies

0

10

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30

40

50

60

%

Training and education Aw areness building

developing countries developed countries

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20

30

40

50

%

Infrastructure Access Telecommunicationsector reform

developing countries developed countries

A survey of existing strategies

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10

20

30

40

50

%

Support for theenterprise sector

Trade andinvestment

Development ofIT and other

sectors

developing countries developed countries

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20

40

60

80

100

%

Legal issues Taxation Banking andonline payments

developing countries developed countries

A survey of existing strategies

01020304050

%

E-government

Standards, trade facilitation

Research

Participation in int.debates

developing countries developed countries

Key elements of e-strategies

Awareness building, training and education

Access and infrastructure Legal and regulatory issues Sector-specific policies E-government

Awareness building

Policy issues Lack of Internet culture Lack of understanding of benefits and

opportunities

Policy options AB media campaigns, e-government Targets: SMEs, rural areas, women

entrepreneurs

Training and education Policy issues

Knowledge society: main challenge for developing countries

Improve digital literacy Increase number of IT professionals

Digital literacy Internet access and PCs in schools Community centers Rural and poor areas, women

Training and education

Source: ILO (2001)

Training and education

IT training Shortage of high-skilled IT

professionals worldwide Problem of brain drain in poorer

countries (India, South Africa) Public or private sector?

Access and infrastructure

Policy issues Equal access (rural and poor areas,

gender dimension) Telecommunication sector reforms Quality and cost

Access and infrastructure

Source: ILO (2001)

Access and infrastructure

Policy options PCs and Internet access in schools

and universities Open-source software, wireless

applications Competition in telecom market

Legal and regulatory issues

Is the transaction enforceable in electronic form?

Do the parties trust the message? What rules govern the electronic

transaction?

Questions for policy makers:

Legal and regulatory issues

Electronic contracting, authentication, dispute resolution, data/intellectual property/consumer protection, security

Taxation, electronic payments, certification

Legal and regulatory issues

UNCITRAL Model law: 11 countries Digital signatures: 60 countries

(21 developing countries) Taxation: OECD “taxation

framework”

Sector-specific policies

Policy issues Increase productivity Enhance comparative advantage and

competitiveness Promote e-business

Sector-specific policiesPolicy options: Lower import duties Promote use of ICT and e-commerce in sectors of

comp. advantage Develop domestic IT industry in close relationship

with local users Create linkages between foreign investors and

local suppliers and services Direct support to SMEs (esp. women

entrepreneurs) to enhance e-business (financial, technical, tax credits etc.)

E-government

Policy issues Leadership role in e-business

(awareness and education) Efficiency gains (government) Reduced costs (enterprises) Transparency

E-government

Policy options: Procurement Information sharing among

agencies Online services for citizens Equal access (maintain traditional

channels)

Approaches to e-strategies

Participatory approach Involve all stakeholders Consultative process to identify

key elements of national strategy (based on domestic needs)

Stakeholders

Business associations IT industry Banks Freight forwarders Lawyers Development org. Women’s groups

Donors Industry reps. Ministries Customs NGOs Universities Consumers

ITU Regional Seminar on E-commerceBucharest, Romania14-17 May 2002

Thank you

www.unctad.org/ecommerce

[email protected]