DIGITAL

Electronic commerce. On June 16, the Ottawa Group agreed to promote an action plan within the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will include multilateral regulations on electronic commerce. The group is made up of Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the European Union and was created to modernize this international organization. The text would be presented to the entity in the coming weeks and discussed in the medium term.

The action plan consists of six points. The first will seek to regulate e-commerce at a global level. To this end, the group intends to accelerate the work within the WTO to promote an initiative in this area. The second is trade facilitation, for which it will seek to promote the adoption of digital solutions to guarantee the efficient border crossing of essential goods.

The third will be improvements in agriculture and trafficking of primary goods. There, an effort will be made to improve the control mechanisms of the international entity, monitoring compliance with the declarations approved in the matter. The remaining points include the aim of the group to promote an improvement in the trade of medical supplies, in the transparency of the global system, and in the involvement of actors in national economies.

Next steps: The Ottawa Group will promote, with Mexico at the forefront, a reform of the WTO. Among the changes are proposals on electronic commerce and agriculture. The entity is expected to analyze the proposal in the short term, although its implementation is likely to be subject to the appointment of a new director after the resignation of Roberto Azevedo in mid-May. Thus, to strengthen the Plan, Mexico will promote its official, Jesús Seade, to lead the organization.