Facilitating Trade and Logistics for E-Commerce : Building Blocks, Challenges, and Ways Forward
The objective of this note is to identify the key issues in trade facilitation and logistics that affect the e-commerce landscape, with a focus on cross border (trade facilitation) domestic delivery (logistics); highlight key challenges and opportu...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/645791578285992456/Facilitating-Trade-and-Logistics-for-E-Commerce-Building-Blocks-Challenges-and-Ways-Forward http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33174 |
| Summary: | The objective of this note is to
identify the key issues in trade facilitation and logistics
that affect the e-commerce landscape, with a focus on cross
border (trade facilitation) domestic delivery (logistics);
highlight key challenges and opportunities, particularly for
developing countries and small and medium enterprises
(SMEs); and provide a roadmap for potential areas of World
Bank (WB) support in that landscape. This work has broadly
covered areas such as customs and border management;
information and communications technology for trade;
logistics services, including competition issues; and
trade-related infrastructure (ports, inland ports, airports,
and so on). This note identifies the various issues and
challenges relating to e-commerce from a facilitation and
logistics point of view and identifies potential solutions,
particularly those in which the WBG can play a role in
helping developing countries. The note draws from a wide
array of developments and literature and from work done by
the WBG more generally in trade facilitation and logistics
in assisting countries to improve their trade environment.
The note explores the required building blocks for
facilitating cross-border e-commerce as to address the
challenges raised and consist of: (a) improvement programs
for creating a more conducive legal environment for
automation; (b) improving automation and interconnectivity
between agencies; (c) implementing simplified procedures to
trade, including for e-commerce; and (d) implementing fully
the World Trade Organizations (WTO’s) trade facilitation
agreement. The note concludes with the summation that
e-commerce offers new challenges and opportunities for
governments and firms, but to maximize its benefits requires
significant reform. This note has set out a path for
countries to continuing the reform and modernization route
with recommendations and an action matrix of specific
improvements to the trade facilitation and logistics
environment that will better position countries and firms to
take advantage of the enormous potential that cross border
e-commerce offers. |
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