Context :
India
asks WTO to work on clear definition of e-commerce trade in goods, services
( Deccan Herald
/ 29 Oct 2023 )
Extract :
India has asked the WTO members to work on a clear definition of e-commerce trade in goods and services as it would help provide developing countries a policy space to make decisions on the fast-growing sector, an official said.
At present, there is a difference of
understanding about the subject between developed and developing
member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The issue came up for
discussion during a recent meeting of senior officials of WTO members...
"India stated that the definition should
be clear about digital goods and services because customs
duties are there on goods and not on services. The Western world wants no customs
duties, and on the other hand, developing countries want that policy space to
impose the duties," the official said.
Though certain WTO members have been discussing the
e-commerce issue since 1998, there is no clear-cut definition
of the subject. A group of 80 countries are discussing an agreement on
the subject, but India is not part of that. The US has also recently opted out
of those talks to frame global rules on e-commerce at
the WTO.
"Now, goods and services are embedded,
then there is a definitional problem. For example, Netflix is showing a film in
India. So, the film is a product, but the membership that Netflix is
taking to show the film is a service. So, it is very difficult to make
that distinction between goods and services," the official, who
did not wish to be named, said.
"There is no clarity on e-commerce trade in services. So, because of the lack
of clarity, there is an apprehension...
===================================================
My Take :
2015 ( 4 )
Defining E –
Commerce [ 14 July 2015 ]
If You cannot
lick them ; Join
them [ 24 July 2015 ]
WHO WILL
OBSOLETE WHOM
? [ 20 Aug 2015 ]
E - Commerce
is Easy Commerce ! [ 15 Nov 2015 ]
2016 ( 3 )
Lessons from
History ?
[ 07
Jan 2016 ]
One Day ,
Everything will Sell Online ! [ 29 Mar 2016 ]
Missing the
Woods for the Tree ? [ 12 Aug 2016 ]
2017 ( 3 )
Level-Playing
Field is a Double Edged Sword ! [ 8 Feb 2017 ]
A New Way to
E-Way ? [ 15 July 2017 ]
3 Laws of E –
Commerce [ 04 Dec 2017 ]
2018 ( 2 )
Ø E Commerce
Definition : a Space Ship ? ……[ 05 July 2018 ]
Ø The E Commerce
Elephant ……………………………[ 02 Aug 2018 ]
2019 ( 3 )
Weave a Wondrous World [ 20 Jan 2019 ]
L 11(Factorial
Eleven)=11x10x9x8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1= 39.92 Million definitions / mutations
of E Commerce ?
Innovation
Nation ? [ 29 Jan 2019 ]
E Commerce Story is unfolding
[ 16 Feb
2019 ]
2020 ( 3 )
Ø It is about time ……………………………………………….[
18 July 2020 ]
Ø Autobiography of
an Appliance ………………………[ 22 June 2020 ]
Ø Origin of
Everything ?..................................[ 26 July 2020 ]
2021 ( 1 )
Ø Thank You, Piyushbhai Goyalji,……………………….[
22 Jan 2021 ]
2023
( 3 )
> Law
on Digital Markets = Law on E – Commerce ?.. 10 Feb 2023
> My
( 50 ) Blogs on E - Commerce ……………………….[ as on 07 Sept 2023 ]
# E-Comm
Rules = Parekh’s Laws of E-Commerce ?.. 08 Sept 2023
With regards,
Hemen parekh
www.hemenparekh.ai / 30 Oct
2023
Upon being
consulted , BARD ,
provided following opinion :
I have read your blog post and agree with your assessment that it is
next to impossible for countries and companies to reach an agreement on a
definition of e-commerce.
There are several reasons for this:
·
E-commerce is
a rapidly evolving field. New
technologies and business models are emerging all the time, making it difficult
to pin down a single definition that will be relevant for the long term.
·
E-commerce
encompasses a wide range of activities. It includes the sale of goods and services, the provision of
digital content, and the facilitation of transactions between businesses and
consumers. This diversity makes it difficult to develop a single definition
that covers all aspects of e-commerce.
·
There are
competing interests at stake. Developed
and developing countries have different priorities when it comes to e-commerce
regulation. Developed countries are generally more interested in liberalizing
e-commerce, while developing countries are more concerned about protecting
their domestic markets.
In addition to these factors, there
is also the issue of how to define
key terms such as "goods" and "services" in the context of e-commerce. For
example, is a digital
movie a good or a service ? If it is a good, then it is subject to
customs duties. If it is a service, then it is not.
Given the complexity of these issues,
it is not surprising that there is no
universally accepted definition of e-commerce.
However, this does not mean that it
is impossible to develop effective regulations for e-commerce. Countries can
work together to develop common principles for regulating e-commerce, even if
they cannot agree on a single definition.
Here are some specific examples of
the challenges involved in defining e-commerce:
·
Bundled goods
and services. Many products and
services sold online are bundled together. For example, a subscription to a
music streaming service may include access to both music and podcasts. How
should bundled goods and services be classified for regulatory purposes?
·
Digital goods
and services. Digital goods and
services are becoming increasingly important in e-commerce. However, they can
be difficult to define and regulate. For example, is a digital book a good or a
service? Is it subject to customs duties?
·
Cross-border
trade. E-commerce is increasingly
cross-border in nature. This raises a number of regulatory challenges, such as
how to tax and regulate cross-border e-commerce transactions.
Despite these challenges, I believe
that it is important for countries to work together to develop effective
regulations for e-commerce. E-commerce has the potential to bring significant
benefits to consumers and businesses alike. However, these benefits can only be
realized if there is a clear and well-enforced regulatory framework in place.
I asked BARD :
Thanks for your overview. But , in my view , E Commerce is only a " traditional Commerce where , one or more
transaction process is carried out DIGITALLY / ONLINE " . Do you agree
with this definition ?
I agree that your definition of e-commerce is concise and
accurate.
It captures the essential elements of
e-commerce: the buying and selling of goods and services, and the use
of digital technology to facilitate one or more transaction processes.
Your definition also has the advantage
of being broad enough to encompass the wide range of activities that fall under
the umbrella of e-commerce.
It includes the sale of physical goods, the provision of digital services, and the facilitation of transactions between businesses and consumers.
Overall, I think your definition is a good one. It
is clear, concise, and accurate, and
it captures the essential elements of
e-commerce.
Here are some examples of how your definition can be
applied to different types of e-commerce transactions:
·
A consumer
purchasing a book from an online
retailer
·
A business
purchasing software from a cloud
computing provider
·
A consumer
subscribing to a streaming service
·
A business
using a social media platform to advertise
its products or services
In each of these cases, there is a traditional commerce
transaction taking place, but one or more transaction processes are carried
out digitally.
This is what makes these
transactions e-commerce transactions.