Geneva Summit 1ST Phase: Outcomes

1
Geneva Summit (1ST Phase) Outcomes

• Geneva Declaration of Principles and Plan of
  Action
• WSIS set Common vision and agenda for ICTs to
  achieve UN Millenium Development Goals, including
  connecting all communities by 2015 (WSIS Targets)
• Plan of Action refers to Access to internet for
  all which makes brief reference to e-commerce-
  Action Lines C6.
• No specific reference to Public Key
  Infrastructure (PKI) (Infrastructure a cle
  public)
• Agreement on many important issues
• Cyber-security, freedom of expression, enabling
  environment, cultural diversity, local content
  and multilingualism
• Asked UN SG to look into unresolved issues
• Internet Governance and Financing

2
Electronic Commerce

• Plan of Action C6 13. Enabling Environment
  which makes brief reference to E-Commerce
• What is E-Commerce? Compare with Conventional
  Commerce.
• Conventional Commerce well-established since
  stone ages by way of customary,civil and common
  law- Code de commerce,Civil Code law of contract
• Proof in Conventional Commerce- Signature- Once
  you sign you are bound (Case Law LEstrange v/s
  Graucob)
• E-Commerce- Introduction of electronic/digital
  signature (signature electronic)
• Problem with E-Commerce- Tax Evasion and
  Information Exchange (OECD, UN, FATF and World),
  electronic signature, consumer rights etc

3
Legal Requirements for Electronic Transaction)

• LAW- Local Example of Mauritius- Electronic
  Transaction Act 2002
• Takes into account- authentification,certification
  and recognition of electronic signature
• Banking, Finance and ICT Law

4
E-Commerce and WSIS

• WSIS POSITION
• WSIS Priority areasAccess to internet for all to
  bridge digital device, regulatory/policy reforms,
  regional backbones, community access points,
  capacity building,to complement existing
  mechanisms
• No specific Reference to E-Commerce
• Plan of Action C6. 13Enabling Environment which
  makes brief reference to E-Commerce
• WSIS asked UN SG to look into unresolved issues
• Internet Governance as provided in Declaration
  and C6. (b) of Plan of Action
• UN Sectary General to Set up WGIG in November
  2004

5
Internet Governance

• UN Sectary General to Set up WGIG in November
  2004
• WGIG tabled interim report at Prepcom 2
• Based on open consultations and working group
  meetings in late 2004 and early 2005
• Work to continue through spring 2005
• Final report in summer 2005
• Report considers E-Commerce from an Internet
  Governance issue.
• WGIG Report identities problem with E-commerce

6
PKI IN THE WSIS PROCESS

• NO SPECIFIC REFERENCE OF PKI IN PLAN OF ACTION
• Reference to Action Lines C6.(C) (O) of Plan of
  Action
• Is PKI equivalent to Action Lines C5. of Plan of
  Action Building confidence and security in the
  use of ICTs
• Can PKI achieve objectives set in Action Lines
  C6.13 (o) of Plan of Action international
  interoperability standards for global e-commerce
  in the global fight against tax evasion.
• Recommendation- set up a working group or
  International cooperation?
• Tunis Summit 16-18 November 2005 to decide.
• Conclusion- Good Luck to Tunis Summit.