Eighty countries reached an agreement on Friday on rules to regulate global electronic commerce, including the recognition of electronic signatures and protection against online fraud, but the United States failed to join the group.
After five years of negotiations, the group's coordinators – Australia, Japan and Singapore – delivered what they called a “stability text”, which the European Union hailed as “historic” and the United Kingdom deemed “innovative”.
“We are negotiating the first global rules on digital trade,” EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said in a post on social network X.
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The UK said the deal will see all participants digitize documents and customs processes, recognize electronic documents and signatures and establish legal safeguards against online fraudsters and false claims about products.
In addition to providing support to least developed countries, the text states that the parties will strive to curb spam and protect personal data.
In total, 91 of the 166 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including China, Canada, Argentina, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, participated in the talks.
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The new text is an important step forward, but the US said it was still insufficient and needed more work, including exceptions on essential security interests.
“We look forward to working with interested members to resolve outstanding issues and bring the negotiations to a timely conclusion,” Maria Bacon, the US ambassador to the WTO, said in a statement.
Some other countries, such as Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey, have other reservations, in most cases minor disagreements, according to a Geneva-based trade source.
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Those involved may find it difficult to translate the efforts into a formal WTO agreement, as it would require consensus among all members. India and South Africa have been particularly critical of agreements that do not include all members.
