Fostering Development Gains from Domestic and Cross-border E-commerce in Developing Countries

Guiding questions:

1. How can developing countries foster local platforms for domestic and cross-border e-commerce?

2. What are the existing barriers related to international e-commerce platforms that developing countries, including the least developed countries, face and how can these barriers be overcome?

3. What are some of the operational constraints that small and medium-sized businesses in developing countries face when setting up trade online, and how can they be overcome?

4. What are the good practices that developed and developing countries, including the least developed countries, can learn from each other?

Written contributions

In order to facilitate deliberations and the informal exchange of experiences and best practices on the topics to be discussed, member States and observers are requested to submit written contributions to the UNCTAD secretariat by 2 March 2018.

Written contributions that share good practices in relation to digital platforms would be especially welcome to inform the discussion on question (d) What are the good practices that developed and developing countries, including the least developed countries, can learn from each other?

Written contributions in response to the other guiding questions would also be appreciated.

The IGE meeting will take place during the UNCTAD E-Commerce Week 2018, which will have the overall theme of "Development Dimensions of Digital Platforms".