Post-Ministerial Analysis (2018)
Data localization: English, FrenchImplications of WTO ecommerce proposals restricting access to algorithms: English
Policies for the platform economy: English, French
Preliminary note: Electronic authentication: some implications: English, Spanish
Results of the 11th ministerial conference of the WTO: English, Spanish
“Domestic regulation” rules in the WTO: English, Spanish
Market access the true aim of WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations: English, Spanish
Inequitable WTO rules in agriculture continue to impact farmers in the developing world: English, Spanish
Transnational corporations’ agenda on e-commerce: English, Spanish
International trade negotiations in context: The geopolitical dispute: English, Spanish
The Peoples’ Summit parallel to the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference: English, Spanish
Digital industrialisation in developing countries: English, French summary
What development actors need to know about e-commerce: English
Data frameworks for a right to development: English
Get off the big data partnerships bandwagon: English
Statement from Civil Society Organizations working on eCommerce for Development, on the Africa eCommerce Week and Outcomes, December 2018: English: pdf, docx. French: pdf, docx.
Why E-Commerce won’t work for Africa’s development.
La Economia Digital
‘Big tech’ en la OMCLos países del Sur adoptan una postura firme sobre la geoeconomía de los datos
Por qué el paradigma dominante del comercio digital no funcionará para las mujeres del Sur Global
Nota Preliminar: Autentificación electrónica: algunas implicaciones
Un vistazo a la 11a Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC
Comercio electrónico y la agenda de las transnacionales
El contexto de las actuales negociaciones comerciales internacionales: La disputa geopolítica
Normas de "reglamentación nacional" en la OMC
El comercio electrónico y la OMC
Tecnología, comercio electrónico y empleo
Comercio electrónico, futuro del trabajo y su impacto en las mujeres
Argentine Government Revokes World Trade Organization’s Accreditation of Key Civil Society Organizations, Just Days before Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires
November 30, 2017: In an unprecedented action, the Argentine government has revoked the accreditation of 63 civil society experts -- trade unionists, development advocates, digital rights activists, environmentalists, and others -- just days before the 11th Ministerial meeting of the WTO (MC11) in Buenos Aires, advising the WTO that the experts will not be allowed in the country to participate in the meeting. The majority of the rejected organizations work together through the global Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) network.Full media advisory: English, Spanish, French.
Letter to the WTO: English, Spanish, French.
December 2, 2017: For information on the public outcry about the above, and on how the Argentine government is justifying their actions, see e.g. here: English, Spanish.
December 3, 2017: Follow-up letter to Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General of the WTO.
December 7, 2017: Letter from the European Commission expressing concern and asking for the decision to be reversed.
December 8, 2017: El gobierno de Macri deporta a periodista inglesa crítica de su gestión por haber entregado información de argentinos para Big Data (Sally Burch deported)
December 13, 2017: Open letter on civil society rights
2020
Digital Trade Rules: A disastrous new constitution for the global economy written by and for Big TechE-commerce proposals at the WTO: a recipe for corporate greed
Letter from 258 organizations from more than 150 countries to WTO Members: Stop all trade and investment treaty negotiations during the COVID-19 outbreak and refocus on access to medical supplies and saving lives: English, Spanish, French
Call to Halt Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations in the Middle of the COVID 19 Crisis: English, Spanish, French. Response from WTO DG Azevêdo.
Digital trade rules and Big Tech: Surrendering public good to private power
South sets out developmental priorities in face of COVID-19
US to target countries that impose digital services taxes
COVID-19 straw breaks free trade camel's back
COVID-19: South opposes attempts to foist trade liberalization measures
E-com proposals at WTO a recipe for corporate greed
COVID-19: JSI group for exploring emerging e-com/digital trade issues
COVID-19: CSOs call for fair & equitable benefit sharing of medical products
COVID-19: Trade policy choices during and after pandemic
Articles and statements (2019)
As WTO dispute settlement system collapses, civil society calls attention to need for fundamental change in global tradeThe WTO 20 years after the 'battle of Seattle'
Looking back on the 1999 protests in Seattle: nwLaborPress.org article
Prof. Stiglitz on digital trade (3 min video)
Fisheries subsidies negotiations and development in the World Trade Organization
Investment facilitation – Another plurilateral initiative at the WTO and its potential implications
Digital public goods: A precondition for realising the SDGs: English
Anti‐development Impacts of Tax‐Related Provisions in Proposed Rules on Digital Trade in the WTO: English, Spanish, French
Giant tech corporations join forces with the WTO to try to launch a WTO 2.0 to cement digital colonialism through international treaties: English pdf, Spanish pdf
Letter from 315 CSOs from 90+ countries against Digital Trade talks in the WTO, April 1, 2019: English, Spanish, French
Statement against E-commerce Rules in the WTO: pdf docx
E-commerce negotiations being launched at the WEF are really about rules for digital colonisation
Martin Luther Munu: eCommerce and MSMEs: what trade rules could improve the business climate in Africa? English: pdf, docx. Spanish: pdf, docx. French: pdf, docx.
Why the dominant digital trade paradigm will not work for women in the global south: English pdf, Spanish, French.
South nations take firm stand on geo-economics of data: English pdf, Spanish, French.
South needs data digitalization policies, say CSO experts: English pdf, Spanish, French.
Updated Twelve Reasons: English: pdf, docx. Spanish: pdf, doc. French: pdf, docx.
11th WTO Ministerial, Buenos Aires 2017
December 13, 2017
Our World is Not for Sale (OWINFS) Final Statement on MC11: English, Spanish, Arabic.
Media release (Dec 13, 2017):
Global civil society reactions to end of WTO ministerial conference:
English,
Spanish.
Media release (Dec 13, 2017):
On last day of WTO Ministerial, civil society distributes urgent recommendations to delegates attending heads of delegation meetings:
English,
Spanish.
Media release (Dec 11, 2017):
Civil Society Protest at the Entrance of the WTO 11th Ministerial in Buenos Aires:
English.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Civil Society / NGO Contacts for MC11 WTO Ministerial Dec 10-13, 2017
Global civil society shares what’s at stake at MC 11:
Quote sheet on the rejection of the WTO Declaration on “Women’s Economic Empowerment”: English, Spanish.
Quote sheet and video: Civil Society Experts Outline What Is Needed to Protect the Development Mandate in Agriculture and Fisheries-Subsidies Negotiations in MC11: English, Spanish.
Quotes from civil society experts
Video from the press conference
A Positive Outcome for Development at the MC11 in Argentina?
Video from the side event organized by OWINFS on Sunday, Dec 10.
December 8, 2017: El gobierno de Macri deporta a periodista inglesa crítica de su gestión por haber entregado información de argentinos para Big Data (Sally Burch deported)
December 8, 2017: Argentina causes WTO scandal: Critical NGOs banned and possibly denied entry on the border
December 8, 2017: Argentina’s WTO civil society ban is outrageous - ITUC OnLine
November 30, 2017: Argentine government revokes World Trade Organization’s accreditation of key civil society organizations, just days before Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires
December 3, 2017: Follow-up letter from OWINFS
October 9, 2017: Letter from Global Civil Society about the Agenda of the WTO: English: pdf, docx. Spanish: pdf, docx. French: pdf, docx. Greek: pdf, docx.
Still relevant:
WTO Turnaround 2013:Food, Jobs and Sustainable Development First – Statement (Oct 28, 2013): English Spanish French Portuguese
Sessions at the 2019 WTO Public Forum
#95. Future of WTO in a digitalised world.#111. What would services as the next trade frontier look like?
#119. Why are computer and related services important?
Key Reports by the UN Conference on Trade and Development
UNCTAD report: Rising product digitalisation and losing trade competitiveness.Trade and Development Report 2018: Power, Platforms and The Free Trade Delusion.
Growing Trade in Electronic Transmissions: Implications for the South.
OWINFS members’ events at the UNCTAD eCommerce Week, Geneva, April 1-5, 2019
• How e-commerce, international trade, and data flows can contribute to development.Tuesday, April 2, 2019.
• Sustainable tax policy in the digital era: Implications of technology-enabled trade.
Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019.
• Towards an empowerment score-card for women in e-commerce.
Thursday, April 4, 2019.
• Strengthening MSMEs and creating jobs through digital industrialization: What policies work?
Thursday, April 4, 2019.
• E-commerce: How should Africa position itself to maximize the opportunities?
Friday, April 5, 2019.
Analysis of key issues for the 11th WTO Ministerial
MSME associations reject MSMEs work program and ecommerce rules in WTO: English, Spanish.
Rebuttal to “The WTO Investment Facilitation Initiative: Why It Matters” – background note: Investment Facilitation for Development: Opening the doors of the WTO for hard rules on investment
A deadly irony for people’s economic rights as WTO opens talks on International Rights Day
Analyses of Domestic Regulation Disciplines
Fisheries subsidies negotiations: English: pdf, doc. French: pdf, doc. Spanish: pdf, doc.
“Domestic regulation” rules in the WTO: English: pdf, docx. Spanish: pdf, doc.
The fourth industrial revolution will deepen the digital divide. Alliance Sud Position on the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference: English, French.
Key Analysis: E-commerce
Twelve reasons to oppose rules on digital commerce in the WTO: English: pdf, docx. French: pdf, docx. Spanish: pdf, doc.
E-commerce and the World Trade Organization: English: pdf, docx. Spanish: pdf, docx. French: pdf, docx.
Risk of a deepening of the digital divide – worrisome WTO discussions
Preliminary analysis of aspects of some WTO ecommerce proposals
Some preliminary implications of WTO source code proposal
Some of the implications of ecommerce proposals for government procurement
Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and e-commerce: English: pdf, docx.
Jane Kelsey: E-commerce: the development implications of future proofing global trade rules for GAFA
Burcu Kilic and Renata Avila:
• Data
is the new oil, so big tech is pushing for a digital free trade deal
• Trading away our privacy; the WTO Ministerial in Buenos Aires
• A new digital trade agenda: are we giving away the Internet?
E-signatures and trade: English: pdf.
Key Analysis: Agriculture
WTO summit to ignore price crisis, agricultural dumping