ICRIER, UN-ESCAP Host Asia Pacific E-Commerce Policy Summit

The Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), is hosting the ‘1st Asia Pacific E-Commerce Policy Summit’. Set to take place on March 14, 2024, at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi, the summit aims to facilitate open dialogue around a more conducive policy making approach to foster cross-border e-commerce and facilitate MSMEs linkages to global value chains.

APAC Economic Surge

The APAC region, comprising more than 50 countries, has exhibited robust economic growth, marked by a significant 4.6% increase in 2023 (compared to the global average of 3%) and a projected 4.2% rise in 2024 (compared to the global rate of 2.9%). Notably, Japan, South Korea, India, and Indonesia lead the e-commerce landscape, collectively contributing 62.4% of global revenue in 2023. This initiative stands as a pivotal opportunity for these nations to come together and collaborate, propelling regional integration, fostering innovative ecosystems, and bolstering sustainable economic growth across the region.

The summit's agenda will include four panel discussions, each addressing crucial aspects of the e-commerce sector. These will be complemented by presentations from UN-ESCAP and specially curated Q&A sessions.

• Facilitating a robust framework for cross-border e-commerce to enable MSMEs: The session will address the imperative for consultative policymaking in e-commerce, focusing on its implementation across various geographical regions.
• Ensuring Consumer Protection in the Age of E-commerce: The session will focus on navigating the complexities of consumer protection in multichannel retail. It will highlight the importance of adopting a comprehensive strategy to balance the interests of market players and consumers.
• E-Commerce Trade and Cross-Border Data Flows: The session will discuss the vital role of robust frameworks in governing cross-border data transfers and explore the functions and capabilities of data governance bodies.
• How social media is transforming E-Commerce: The session will explore the evolving landscape of policy engagement in the influencer paradigm, shedding light on the unseen impact of social media influencers and deconstructing dark patterns that shape policy narratives.

In addition to this, issues like emerging payment technologies will also be discussed. The summit will bring together more than over 70 policymakers, industry CEOs, senior executives, top academics, and legal experts from across APAC countries. Esteemed dignitaries slated to speak at the event include H.E. Mrs. C.A. Chaminda I. Colonne, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand and Permanent Representative to ESCAP; H.E. Mrs. Chea Ratha, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Government of Cambodia; Ms. Prewprae Chumrum, Chair, ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement Negotiations; Dr. Mikiko Tanaka, Director, UN-ESCAP; Dr. Donghyun Park, Economic Advisor (Strategic Knowledge Initiatives), Asian Development Bank (ADB); Mr. Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, ICRIER; Mr. Rama Subramaniam Gandhi, Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India; Mr. Mahendra Nerurkar, VP & CEO, Amazon Pay India; Dr. Archana Goyal Gulati, Former Head of Public Policy, Google India; and Mr. Lokesh Kumar, Chief General Manager, Export-Import Bank of India, among others.