PREFACE

 

Based on the recommendations of a workshop on “Promoting Sustainable Growth and Competitiveness of NAM’s SMEs in a Globalized Market through E-Commerce” conducted in Brunei Darussalam on October 2001,  the Centre decided to follow-up by convening an Expert Group Meeting to focus on addressing the need to harmonize E-Commerce Laws of NAM member countries. The workshop strongly suggested that the model law on e-commerce formulated by United Nations Commission for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) could be used as the basis for harmonizing e-commerce laws of NAM countries in order to facilitate e-commerce among them.

 

The Expert Group Meeting on “ Harmonizing National E-Commerce Laws in NAM Member Countries was then conducted in Jakarta on 22-23 July 2002 which provided a forum for e-commerce law practitioners in selected NAM member countries to discuss relevant policy and technical issues and to make recommendations on how harmonize the e-commerce laws of the NAM member countries.

 

Harmonized national e-commerce laws of NAM countries would significantly increase trade opportunities particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in these countries. There is also a need to ensure that there is uniformity with regard to use of e-signature and certification standards to facilitate the development of trade using electronic means. A number of NAM member countries have already enacted regulations on e-commerce while most of the member countries are still in the early stages of developing their e-commerce laws and regulations.

 

NAM CSSTC invited policy makers and law practitioners of selected NAM member countries who were directly involved in formulating, developing and enacting the regulations of e-commerce to deliberate on the relevant aspects covering the areas of model law of e-commerce, uniform rules, the use of e-signatures, certification authority and other related issues, and also to come up with recommendations and general consensus on how to harmonize e-commerce laws of NAM member countries. NAM CSSTC presents this report for the consideration of NAM governments, policy makers and regulatory bodies in NAM countries, and the legal and business sectors to enrich their thinking on this issue. This meeting was financed by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia.

 

In the next few years, NAM CSSTC intends to follow-up on the recommendations presented by the experts with the objective of assisting interested NAM member countries in translating ideas into concrete programmes and actions on the ground.