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.
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