Considerations on COM(2025)33 - EU position in the World Trade Organization on adding the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization - Main contents
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| dossier | COM(2025)33 - EU position in the World Trade Organization on adding the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into the Agreement establishing ... |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2025)33  |
| date | May 12, 2025 |
| (2) | Pursuant to Article X(9) of the WTO Agreement in conjunction with Article IV(2) thereof, the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) may adopt a decision by consensus to add an agreement to Annex 4 to the WTO Agreement. |
| (3) | Negotiations for an Agreement on Electronic Commerce were formally launched in January 2019. The Commission conducted such negotiations on behalf of the Union and the participating WTO Members agreed on the text of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce on 26 July 2024. |
| (4) | The WTO Members participating in the negotiations on the Agreement on Electronic Commerce intend to submit a formal request to the General Council of the WTO seeking to incorporate the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into Annex 4 to the WTO Agreement in accordance with Article X(9) of that Agreement. The Union should participate in that request as a preparatory step towards a possible decision of the General Council at one of its subsequent meetings. |
| (5) | The European Data Protection Supervisor was consulted in accordance with Article 42(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) and delivered an opinion on 2 of April 2025. |
| (6) | It is appropriate to establish the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf at the relevant future meeting of the General Council of the WTO with regard to the incorporation of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into Annex 4 to the WTO Agreement, as the decision will be binding on the Union. |
| (7) | The incorporation of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into Annex 4 to the WTO Agreement is justified in view of the need to bring WTO rules into line with the economic and trade realities of the 21st century and it is consistent with the Union’s policies. |
| (8) | Therefore, the position of the Union should be to join the consensus reached among WTO Members to incorporate the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into Annex 4 to the WTO Agreement, |