UN/ECE

	TEAM OF SPECIALISTS ON INTERNET ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FOR TRANSITION ECONOMIES
	TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TEAM OF SPECIALISTS ON INTERNET ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
	PROPOSED PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR THE TEAM OF SPECIALISTS ON INTERNET ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

The UN/ECE secretariat has implemented the Strategic Directions in Enterprise Development which stipulate that a new activity on Internet enterprise development be initiated for transition economies.

The Forum on Electronic Commerce for Transition Economies in the Digital Age was organized on 19 and 20 June 2000 at the Palais des Nations in conjunction with the annual session of the Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development, which was held from 21 to 23 June.

The Forum was attended by around 300 participants, namely, Ministers, high-level governmental officials, representatives of international organizations, business leaders from throughout the UN/ECE region, including more than 20 transition economies who articulated their plans to promote the development of e-commerce and internet enterprise development in transition economies.

It represented an important step in UN/ECE’s ongoing efforts in the evolution toward realising an e-commerce and Internet development agenda. The Forum broke new ground for UN/ECE on a number of fronts. UN/ECE sought and realized active participation of public and private sectors to address critical elements of e-commerce and Internet enterprise development. Almost all transition economies were represented to discuss and support this work of ECE. Major international organizations involved in developing the e-commerce agenda met to discuss how to promote Internet development in transition economies. UN/ECE member Governments from transition economies recognized the importance of collaboration among Governments, and with business, and consumers in the development and use of e-commerce.

The UN/ECE secretariat published a survey on “Internet Infrastructure Development in Transition Economies” as a background document for the Forum.

The Forum recommended that a Team of Specialists on Internet Enterprise Development be established to continue the work related to the development of e-commerce and Internet-based enterprises and this recommendation was subsequently endorsed by the Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development at its fourth session.

Team of Specialists on Internet Enterprise Development

The Team of Specialists will act as the UN/ECE focal point and forum for discussion and exchange of views on recent and prospective trends, policies, guidelines and other relevant issues relating to the use of the Internet for enterprise development in transition economies. Members will consist of qualified experts from the public and private sectors who will propose recommendations for the national, regional and international level.

The Team will study, consult on and submit recommendations on best practical measures that will result in encouraging the development of Internet-based enterprises in the region. Its work will report annually to the Working Party on Industry and Enterprise Development of the UN/ECE Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development. The Team will meet in Geneva and other locations in transition economies on a regular basis. Activities will also be conducted online.

The Team of Specialists will support the activities of the UN/ECE Internet Enterprise Development Programme by exploring issues and implementing and disseminating guidelines related to the Information Society and e-commerce with the following aims:

• To support the Governments in transition economies in developing information society initiatives including relevant policies and regulatory framework designed to accelerate the process;
• To assist in the creation of an enabling environment for e-commerce and Internet-based services development in transition economies towards enhancing enterprise development;
• To assist other international organizations and non-governmental organizations in furthering the objectives of national Internet Enterprise Development initiatives;
• To assist countries in transition in organizing seminars, symposia, workshops and other informal fora on issues related to Information Society development.
  

The work of the Team of Specialists will be divided into the following core areas:

• The regulatory framework for e-commerce and international cooperation in the region

Action plan: eRegulation, eGovernment development;

• Best practices for internet-based new services development

Action plan: Internet payment system, Internet start-ups development

The UN/ECE secretariat will work in close consultation with the European Union, other regional economic commissions, and other relevant international organizations to promote Internet Enterprise Development in transition economies.

Programme of work

The first meeting of the Team of Specialists will be held on 30 October 2000 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva. Participants in this meeting will discuss a further work programme to be undertaken by the Team in 2000 and 2001. A draft proposal by the secretariat is attached to the current report.

At he invitation of the Governments, business community and academia from transition economies a series of Regional Conferences on E-Commerce and Internet Enterprise Development will be jointly held and/or organized by the UN/ECE secretariat in the following countries during 2000-2001: Belarus, Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Further information is provided in the attached table.

The Team will contribute to the forthcoming UN/ECE Forum on eServices for Trade, Innovation and Enterprise Development to be held in June 20001 at the Palais des Nations.

In collaboration with the Team, the secretariat will carry out a series of surveys on e-Initiatives in transition economies as a follow-up activity of the publication on “Internet Infrastructure Development in transition economies”. Topics for the new survey may include: eGovernment, eRegulation, ePayment Systems, and eStartups, among others.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TEAM OF SPECIALISTS ON INTERNET ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Note: The UN/ECE secretariat will carry out these activities in close collaboration with Governments in the region and relevant external institutions.