8 E-Commerce on Regional and Bilateral Trade
Agreements
The WTO informs the existence of 284 regional trade agreements (RTAs) in force by
the end of 2017.
75 From these, 75 hold provisions on e-commerce (67 of which on
goods and services, 7 on goods and 1 on services). 70 of them entered into force from
2003 onwards.
76 This section analyses the e-commerce provisions on data protection
in all these agreements.
8.1 RTAs with E-Commerce Rules (1998–2017)
The general structure of a chapter on e-commerce includes (a) hortatory rules on
cooperation, (b) liberalisation rules, that forbid import or export tariffs to goods
delivered electronically, which, nevertheless, may be internally taxed, (c) rules on
paperless transactions and certification and, in many instances (d) personal data
protection rules (Fig. 1).
The Australia-Singapore FTA (2017)
77 holds a detailed disposition on “personal
information protection” in which Parties (a) recognise the need to protect data in
75 Data in http://rtais.wto.org/UI/publicsummarytable.aspx, consulted on 21st January 2018.
76 Data in the WTO website, consulted on 21st January 2018.
77 SIN-AUT FTA (2017), Chapter 14, Article 9: “Personal Data Protection. Personal Information
Protection 1. The Parties recognise the economic and social benefits of protecting the personal
information of users of electronic commerce and the contribution that this makes to enhancing
consumer confidence in electronic commerce. 2. To this end, each Party shall adopt or maintain a
Fig. 1 By the author
504
J. A. F. Costa
Agreements
The WTO informs the existence of 284 regional trade agreements (RTAs) in force by
the end of 2017.
75 From these, 75 hold provisions on e-commerce (67 of which on
goods and services, 7 on goods and 1 on services). 70 of them entered into force from
2003 onwards.
76 This section analyses the e-commerce provisions on data protection
in all these agreements.
8.1 RTAs with E-Commerce Rules (1998–2017)
The general structure of a chapter on e-commerce includes (a) hortatory rules on
cooperation, (b) liberalisation rules, that forbid import or export tariffs to goods
delivered electronically, which, nevertheless, may be internally taxed, (c) rules on
paperless transactions and certification and, in many instances (d) personal data
protection rules (Fig. 1).
The Australia-Singapore FTA (2017)
77 holds a detailed disposition on “personal
information protection” in which Parties (a) recognise the need to protect data in
75 Data in http://rtais.wto.org/UI/publicsummarytable.aspx, consulted on 21st January 2018.
76 Data in the WTO website, consulted on 21st January 2018.
77 SIN-AUT FTA (2017), Chapter 14, Article 9: “Personal Data Protection. Personal Information
Protection 1. The Parties recognise the economic and social benefits of protecting the personal
information of users of electronic commerce and the contribution that this makes to enhancing
consumer confidence in electronic commerce. 2. To this end, each Party shall adopt or maintain a
Fig. 1 By the author
504
J. A. F. Costa