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..Press
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UNESCAP News Services
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Date 1
July 2004
Press Release No: G/16/2004
INCOMPLETE AND INSECURE LEGAL SYSTEMS SERIOUS
IMPEDIMENT TO E-COMMERCE IN REGION
Experts meet at UNESCAP to harmonize
legal and regulatory systems
Bangkok (UN Information Services -- Concerned
that e-commerce growth in the region will be stunted by incomplete
and insecure legal systems, UNESCAP, with the support of the
Government of France, is organizing a regional expert conference
on “Harmonized Development of Legal and Regulatory Systems
for E-commerce in Asia and the Pacific: Current Challenges and
Capacity Building Needs.”
Over 100 participants, including senior officials
and experts from over 20 countries in Asia and the Pacific,
Europe and the United States, are expected to attend the seminar
scheduled for 7-9 July 2004 at the United Nations Conference
Centre, Bangkok.
Among participants of note are Thailand’s
ICT Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Mr. Chayana Ahmadoayadi,
Deputy Minister for Infrastructure, Ministry of Communications
and Information of Indonesia, and Mr. Sok Siphana, Secretary
of State, Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia.
Mr. Kim Hak-Su, UNESCAP Executive Secretary, and
Mr. Laurent Aublin, Ambassador of France to Thailand, will open
the Conference.
The conference will provide an international forum
for stakeholders to discuss current legal problems associated
with e-commerce and identify the capacity building needs of
lawyers, judges, and legal drafters for the development of harmonized
laws and regulations for the facilitation of e-commerce in the
region.
According to UNESCAP, some countries in the region
such as Singapore pioneered e-commerce and e-trade systems in
the late 1980s, as a way to improve their trade competitiveness
and boost economic growth. In less than a decade electronic
commerce has become a reality in many parts of the world including
in many Asian developing countries. Today, however, most countries
in Asia and the Pacific are racing to develop their e-commerce
and e-business infrastructure, not by choice, but by necessity,
as access to markets in developed countries without such infrastructure
is becoming increasingly difficult.
This event is organized in collaboration with
the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL),
the International Trade Centre (ITC UNCTAD/WTO) and other international
organizations.
All government officials, policy makers, legal
experts, lawyers, academics and the private sector interested
in E-commerce and trade facilitation are encouraged to attend.
Participation is free-of-charge. To register and for more information,
please visit: www.unescap.org/tid/projects/ecom.asp or contact
conference organizers at escap_legalecom@un.org or ramoussou@ait.ac.th.
For further information, please contact: United
Nations Information Services, UNESCAP, United Nations Building,
Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Tel: (+662)
288-1861/2/4-9; Fax: (+662) 288-1052; E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
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