Press Release
ECE/TRADE/00/12
Geneva, 30 June 2000
UN/ECE Puts More Emphasis
on Industry and Enterprise Development in Transition Economies
In recognition of the urgent need in many transition economies to
reinforce their private sectors through restructuring industry and creating new
enterprises, 44 of its member countries have recommended that the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) establish a new, more coherent structure for promoting
industrial and enterprise development in transition economies. The decision to do so was
subsequently taken at the fourth session of the UN/ECE Committee for Trade, Industry and
Enterprise Development held in Geneva from 2123 June.
Specifically, member countries recommended that the UN/ECE establish a
Working Party on industry and enterprise development to enhance cooperation, at a
pan-European level, in areas such as: business incubators and similar business-support
organizations; womens entrepreneurship; the use of the Internet for developing new
business and facilitating existing processes; industrial overmanning; soil
decontamination; and industrial statistics. The new Working Party will consist of
representatives of member governments who deal with industry and enterprise development
issues in their respective countries. It will coordinate and guide the work of several
task-oriented teams.
The annual Committee session was preceded by a Forum on E-commerce in
Transition Economies in the Digital Age, which was attended by nearly 400 top decision
makers from all over Europe and North America. The Forum recommended that the Committee
review all aspects of its work programme in order to identify those areas where further
support could be given to transition economies regarding information and communication
technologies. The Forum also recommended that a new activity be launched within the UN/ECE
to enhance the role of e-commerce and related modern technologies in transition economies.
The Committee approved both recommendations.
Service sector and e-commerce to be further promoted in 2001 Forum
It was also decided that the next Forum, in June 2001, would focus on
the service sector in transition economies, in particular on the role of electronic
services in stimulating innovation, investment and enterprise development.
UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business to continue
the work of UN/CEFACT
During this same meeting, the United Nations Centre for Facilitation of
Procedures and Practices for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/CEFACT) became the
UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT). The member countries
attending the Committee session felt that this new name better reflected the twin emphasis
within UN/CEFACT on trade facilitation and electronic business. They pointed out that this
change in name would not change the contexts in which this work takes place, i.e.
administration, commerce and transport.
UN/CEFACT was established in 1996 in response to the globalization of
markets and new technological developments. Its new name is a logical step reflecting its
present work on addressing global needs for improved business and administrative processes
(whether electronic or paper-based) and the international standards and best practices
required to support these processes.
For more information, please contact the following persons:
Working Party on Industry and Enterprise Development:
Mr Bernard Roux-Fouillet, Chief of Section
Tel: (+41 22) 917 32 41, E-mail: [email protected]
Internet Forums: Mr Daewon Choi
Tel: (+41 22) 917 24 74, E-mail: [email protected]
UN/CEFACT: Mr Jean Kubler
Tel: (+41 22) 917 27 74, E-mail: [email protected]
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