Work Programme on Electronic Commerce - Submission from the United States

World Trade Organization WT/GC/W/493 16 April 2003 (03-2100) Original: English Work Programme on Electronic Commerce Submission from the United States The following submission, dated 14 April 2003, has been received from the Permanent Mission of the United States with the request that it be circulated to Members. _______________ The United States is providing this submission for the Work Programme’s further dedicated discussions to help develop our report to Ministers as we look ahead to the Fifth Ministerial Conference in Cancún. Introduction As WTO Members work together to realize the objectives of the Doha Development Agenda, the potential for e-commerce to be a driver of economic growth should not be ignored. A recent report on ecommerce and developing countries concluded that these countries should encourage e-commerce development in order to realize fully their economic potential. E-commerce allows enterprises to generate effici