APEC Workshop on Enhancing Regulatory Infrastructure for E-Commerce was successfully held on October 11-12 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Workshop aimed to identify the challenges, difficulties faced by the member economies in creating a favorable regulatory infrastructure e-commerce for business as well as updating e-commerce trends and issues arisen affecting the regional supply chain connectivity and institutional connectivity; share experiences, best practices from the APEC member economies especially from those economies that have developed e-commerce regulatory regimes and listen to voices of the private sectors to improve regulatory infrastructure; provide inputs for the implementation of the Phase II of  the SCFAP II; and make recommendations to APEC for further consideration and action if appropriately. Prof. Xue was invited as the Member of APEC Expert Council on e-Business Alliance to give a keynot speech on the Chinese E-Commerce Law and New Regulatory Environment. Officials from 21 APEC economies showed great interests in the Chinese new Law and raised many thoughtful questions. Prof. Xue explained the categories of e-commerce operators, responsibilities and liabilities of e-commerce platform operators in details to the audience. Prof. Xue also led the group discussion on the role of the  individual government and APEC to play for an enabling regulatory environment for e-commerce.

Agenda

Day 1: 11 OCTOBER 2018

08.30 – 09.00
Registration

09.00 – 09.10
Opening Speech By Mr Luong Hoang Thai, Director General, Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam.

09.10 – 09.20
Photo Session

09.20 – 10.00
Session 1: Overview of E-Commerce and the Study on E-Commerce regulations  In this session, the speaker(s) will give an overview of e-commerce, its trends, current regulations, opportunities and challenges that affect business.
Moderator: Dr Toh See Kiat, Chairman, Goodwins Law Corporation and Commerce Net Singapore Limited.
Speaker(s):
-          Ms Ho Thi To Uyen, Viet Nam
 

10.00 – 10.15
Questions and Answers (Q&A)

10.15 – 10.35
Tea Break

10.35 – 11.45
Session 2:  New emerging and cross-cutting issues of e-commerce regulations (PANELIST)In this session, it will focus on new emerging and cross-cutting issues of e-commerce regulations, exposed challenges in e-commerce from various aspects such as regulations, business capacity, markets, competitiveness, etc., with views of identifying and providing inputs for further discussion and addressing the issues.
Moderator: Dr JJ Pan, Asia Pacific Privacy Officer and Director of Public Policy, Acxiom Corp;
Speakers:
-          Ms Bui Thi Thanh Hang, Director, Viet Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agendy, Viet Nam;
-          Mr Hamanaka Shintaro, Overseas Research Fellow, IDE-JETRO;
-          Dr Toh See Kiat, Chairman, Goodwins Law Corporation and CommerceNet Singapore Limited.

11.45 – 12.00
Questions and Answers (Q&A)

12.00 – 14.00
Lunch

14.00 – 15.10
Session 3: Sharing experiences in developing regulations for e-commerce  In this session, the member economies will share their experiences in enhancing regulatory infrastructure for e-commerce as well as highlight their legislations in e-commerce.
Moderator: Mr Hamanaka Shintaro, Overseas Research Fellow, IDE-JETRO
Speakers:
-          Professor Dr. Hong Xue; Director of Beijing Normal University Institute for Internet Policy & Law (IIPL), Co-Director of UNCITRAL-BNU Joint Certificate Program on International E-Commerce Law, China; and
-          Dr Li Mosi, Professor, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, China;
-          Pedro Alfredo ASTUDILLO PAREDES, Director Of Digitalization And Formalization, Ministry of Production, Peru;
-          Ms Evelyn Goh, Director (Policy, Technology and Trustmark), Personal Data Protection Commission (PPDC), Singapore;
 

15.10 – 15.30
Questions and Answers (Q&A)

15.30 – 15.50
Tea Break

15.50 – 16.50
Session 4: E – Commerce Regulations from the perspective of the private sectorIn this session, the private sector will raise voices to contribute to e-commerce regulations with views of enhancing its regulatory infrastructure to enhance business practices and efficiency in e-commerce.
Moderator: Dr JJ Pan, Asia Pacific Privacy Officer and Director of Public Policy, Acxiom Corp;
Speakers:
 
 -          Ms Minh Hue Nguyen, Under-secretary of the Asia Business Trade Association (ABTC);
-          Ms Le Thi Thuy Trang, Legal Head, Tiki, Viet Nam;
-          Dr Toh See Kiat, Chairman, Goodwins Law Corporation and CommerceNet Singapore Limited.

16.40 – 17.00
Questions and Answers (Q&A)

End of Day 1

Day 2: 12 OCTOBER 2018

09.00 – 09.45
Session 5: E-Commerce and the APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan 2017 – 2020 (SCFAP II) (PANELIST)In this session, it will focus on e-commerce regulations as one of key components to improve supply chain connectivity in general, the APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan 2017 – 2020 (SCFAP II) in particular. The speakers will present and share views on how member economies’ promulgation of e-commerce regulations can contribute to the SCFAP II.
Moderator: Ms Bui Thi Thanh Hang, Director, Viet Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agendy, Viet Nam
Speakers:
-          Ms Bui Thi Thanh Hang, Director, Viet Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agendy, Viet Nam;
-          Dr JJ Pan, Asia Pacific Privacy Officer and Director of Public Policy, Acxiom Corp;
 

09.45 – 10.00
Questions and Answers (Q&A)

10.00 – 10.20
Tea Break

10.20 – 11.30
Session 6: Group Discussion The two group will discuss:
(i)            What should individual government do to enhance regulatory infrastructure in e-commerce?
(ii)           What are the APEC’s roles?
 Moderator: Ms Pham Quynh Mai
 Facilitator 1: Dr Hong Xue.
  

11.30 – 11.50
Group Presentations

11.50 – 12.00
Closing By Ms Pham Quynh Mai, Viet Nam Senior Official to APEC, Deputy Director General, Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam.