[Index]
E-Policy and E-Regulation for the Information
Society
UNECE Side Event at the Pan-European Preparatory Ministerial
Conference
for the World Summit on the Information Society
Bucharest, Romania, 9 November 2002, 8-11 a.m.
Geneva, 7 November 2002
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe is holding a special panel
on E-Policy and E-Regulatory Framework Development for the Information Society
with special reference to transition economies, in Bucharest, Romania on 9
November 2002 in conjunction with and in the context of the Regional Conference
of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which will take place
on 7-9 November 2002 in the same venue.
The panel aims at providing a synthesis of the discussions on the development
of e-Policy and e-Regulatory Framework for the Information Society at the
national, regional and global levels. Its principal objectives are to contribute
to the WSIS 2003 by summarizing main issues currently being addressed, explore
implications for the Pan-European region, and set out future directions based
on recommendations put forward by regional and international experts. The
debate also aims at understanding how to establish enabling legal environment
for the Information Society by means of appropriate regulatory instruments
taking into full consideration new technology developments and the specific
regional context. It will also highlight the best practices of e-policy implementation
for reducing the digital divide and enhancing the knowledge economy development.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is committed to
ensuring that the member States will be able to exploit the immense potential
of the Information Age as stipulated in the UN Millennium Declaration. Over
the last years, the UNECE has been instrumental in providing a forum for exchange
of ideas, experiences, and best practices on e-policy and e-regulatory framework
development. In this context the UNECE has organized a number of events: UNECE
Workshop on E-Government in Budapest, November 2001 held in collaboration
with the Hungarian Government, UNECE Workshop on E-Regulatory Framework Development
in Geneva, February 2002, UNECE Forum on Online Dispute Resolution in Geneva,
June 2002, UNECE/EU Joint Expert Panel on E-Strategy and E-Policy Development
in Brussels, October 2002 and the forthcoming UNECE International Seminar
on E-Government to be held on 13-14 December 2002 in Caserta, Italy in cooperation
with the Italian Government.
In general, development of digital economy raises a host of new policy and
legal issues driven by a number of factors: open networks, borderless transfer
of data, anonymity, jurisdiction, choice of law, copyright, data protection,
privacy, digital signature, contract, liability, online dispute resolution,
etc. These factors can be summarized as dematerialization, deterritorialization,
depersonalisation detemporalization, and convergence of law and new technologies.
The term e-policy and e-regulatory framework refers broadly to legislation,
regulation, directives, case decisions, relevant policies, international agreement,
architectural changes, self-regulation and any other means under development
that might be employed to affect parameters of current legal system and control
variables of cyberspace.
Recent regulatory reform on international trade-related aspects of e-commerce
in pre-accession countries of transition economies has been driven by acquis
requirements for EU membership, its principles prescribed by EU directives
on telecommunications and e-commerce, as well as the WTO agreements on basic
telecommunications services and financial services which laid foundation for
infrastructure development. Special attention also needs to be given to the
preparations for the implementation of the new EU regulatory package for communications
services, recently adopted by the Council of the European Union and the European
Parliament.
The panel will help governments, business community and consumers alike to
better understand how to set a strategic direction in maximizing the economic
benefits of using new technology and the accruing social welfare. The discussions
should not only raise awareness of the current situation but also provide
a vision of the potential implications and upcoming challenges to cope with.
Speakers will include high-ranking officials from UNECE member States, key
players in the industry both at the global and regional level and the academic
community.
Further details can be obtained from the UNECE secretariat at:
Mr. Daewon Choi
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations
CH – 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41(0)22 917 24 74
Fax: +41(0)22 917 01 78
E-mail: [email protected]
Ref: ECE/OPA/02/17