Press Communique
National Study on E-Commerce
The United Kingdom’s Trade Advocacy Fund (TAF) programme is supporting Mauritius to undertake a national study on E-commerce. This assistance follows the interest that Mauritius has shown to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Electronic Commerce. A team of local consultants to conduct the national study has been selected.
The project consists of two stages: a situational analysis on E-Commerce in Mauritius and an analysis of priority issues and how they relate to the JSI. For the first stage, the consultants will undertake an information gathering exercise including assessing the regulatory framework of Mauritius with respect to E-Commerce. They will hold consultations with various stakeholders concerned by e-commerce. The situational analysis is meant to find the gaps in the national regulatory framework on e-commerce and identify challenges faced by Government, businesses and consumers when engaging in e-commerce.
The second stage of the project will involve examination of the priority issues of Mauritius with respect to the JSI on E-commerce. Since the JSI is aimed at developing an agreement governing e-commerce among its signatories, Mauritius needs to ensure that the agreement would not undermine its national interests, but would instead create better market access opportunities for Mauritian exporters, as well as improve the national environment for businesses and consumers to engage in e-commerce.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius is organising a stakeholder consultation workshop on 4th September 2020. A first draft of the National Study will be presented and feedback from key stakeholders will be collected for the purpose of enriching the Study.
The International Trade Division will rely on the recommendations of the study to develop the international trade policy of Mauritius with respect to e-commerce at the WTO and in other international/regional organisations.