CNMUN-24’

WTO

WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

AGENDA - Enhancing digital trade policies to simplify the

facilitation of the e-commerce initiative.
 LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE BOARD

Greetings Esteemed Delegates,

• I welcome you all to the simulation of “WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION”
Committee at CNMUN, 2024. I am certain that attending CNMUN is an
opportunity for all of us to come together, debate on global issues and
experience the art of diplomacy. This event will help you to enhance
your communicative skills, increase confidence level and form strong bonds
with the like-minded peers both locally and internationally. I sincerely hope
that the sessions will provide you with an interesting look at the complex
issues and that you will leave the conference with a more critical eye to find
the effective solutions for the modern world problems. This study guide will
provide you a brief of the agenda to be discussed in the simulation. Kindly
keep in mind that the guide is not meant to be used as substantial proof in
the committee for any form of argument.
• The purpose of the guide is to provide a fundamental understanding
of the agenda, related fundamental documents, and a few instances
of the committee. This guide is not exhaustive and therefore,
Delegates are requested to further research on the agenda. I am
looking forward to seeing what the distinguished members of the
meeting can bring to the table both in terms of ideas in meeting and
the creativity in crafting the right solutions. Furthermore, I am looking
forward to fiery arguments and logical explanations to every point put
forth. I wish you all the best. In case of any query or help, feel free to
contact us. [Aditya Wadhwani -VC] , [Mukund Joshi - RAPP]
• Best Regards
• Executive board
• WTO
 ABOUT ~ WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global

international organization dealing with the rules of
trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO
agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the
world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.
The goal of WTO is to help producers of goods and
services, exporters, and importers to conduct their
business.
The Global rules of trade provide assurance and
stability. Consumers and producers know that they can
enjoy secure supplies and greater choice of the finished
products, components, raw materials and the services
they use. Producers and exporters know foreign
markets will remain open to them. By lowering trade
barriers through negotiations among member
governments, the WTO’s system also breaks down
other barriers between people and trading economies.
 FUNTIONS OF WTO
1. Trade Negotiations - The WTO facilitates trade
negotiations among countries by providing a framework
to structure the agreements, as well as providing
dispute resolution mechanisms. It creates an
international legal framework that ensures the smooth
exchange of goods and services among the member
countries.
2. Implementation and Monitoring - Once the agreements
are negotiated, the job of the WTO is to ensure that the
signatory countries adhere to their commitments in
practice. It also produces research based on the impact
3. Dispute Settlement - The WTO also acts as a dispute
settlement body when there is a trade conflict between its
member states. The members of the WTO can file
complaints against other member states if they feel the
trade and economic policies of a country are divergent from
their commitments under one of the agreements of the
WTO. Following the complaint, there are formal hearings like
a court until a settlement is reached.

4. Building Trade Capacity - The WTO runs special programs

to support developing countries by helping them build the
capacity to participate in free trade with more developed
countries. It also gives concessions under certain
agreements to low-development countries to ease them
into free trade with other countries.
5. Outreach - Finally, the WTO carries out lobbying and
outreach across the world as a part of its larger
objectives to promote free trade. They try to persuade
governments to reduce barriers to trade to free, fair,
and open markets around the world.
 ABOUT THE AGENDA
Enhancing digital trade policies to simplify the facilitation of
the e- commerce initiative
Digital trade : Digital trade, statistically defined as “all international trade transactions
that are digitally ordered and/or digitally delivered”
Trade policies :
What is digital trade policy?
A trade policy is a government policy that affects the number of goods and
services a country exports and imports.
 Digital trade: Opportunities and actions for developing
countries

Digital trade is increasingly important and comprises both digitally ordered trade in
goods and services (cross-border electronic commerce (e-commerce)) and digitally
delivered trade (services delivered internationally through the Internet or other
networks). However, countries vary greatly in their readiness for digital trade. If the
share of developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, in world trade
is to increase, as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, actions
are needed to strengthen their capacity to benefit from digital trade. The coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) pandemic has made this need even more urgent.
What is digital trade and why does it matter?
In 2020, digital trade was defined by three international organizations as “all trade that
is digitally ordered and/or digitally delivered”. Under this definition, digitally delivered
trade is “international transactions that are delivered remotely in an electronic format,
using computer networks” and digitally ordered trade is “the international sale or
purchase of a good or service, conducted over computer networks by methods
specifically designed for the purpose of receiving or placing orders”.
 HOW TO ENHANCE DIGITAL TRADE

1. Facilitate cross-border data flows: Develop clear and consistent rules for
data transter, ensuring privacy and security while promoting digital
trade.
2. Harmonize digital taxation: Create a fair and equitable international tax
framework for the digital economy.
3. Promote e-commerce: Remove barriers to cross-border e-commerce,
such as customs procedures and digital payments
4. Strengthen public-private partnerships: Collaborate with businesses,
civil society, and international organizations to develop effective digital
trade policies
5. Enhance digital skills: Invest in education and training to develop a
skilled digital workforce in developing countries.
 Strengthening the capacity of developing countries to
benefit from digital trade

Many developing countries need to improve capacities to engage in and

benefit from digital trade. Policymakers face a formidable task in keeping up
with the rapid pace of technological change and dealing with the general
scarcity of data and high degree of uncertainty. Ensuring more inclusive
outcomes from digital trade requires a holistic and coordinated approach,
across Governments and with other stakeholders, to formulating and
implementing relevant policies, as well as global development assistance .
Recommended policy actions are provided in the the table.
 TRIPS AGREEMENT

The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights

(TRIPS) is an international legal agreement between all the member nations
of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It establishes minimum standards
for the regulation by national governments of different forms of intellectual
property (IP) as applied to nationals of other WTO member nations.[4] TRIPS
was negotiated at the end of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) between 1989 and 1990[5] and is
administered by the WTO.
The areas of intellectual property that it covers are: copyright and related
rights (i.e. the rights of performers, producers of sound recordings and
broadcasting organizations); trademarks including service marks;
geographical indications including appellations of origin; industrial designs;
patents including the protection of new varieties of plants; the layout-
 Moderated Caucus Topic-1
Cybersecurity and digital trade: Addressing cybersecurity challenges and building
trust in the digital ecosystem.
-Cybersecurity is a critical aspect of digital trade. As more economic activities shift
online, the vulnerability to cyberattacks increases exponentially. This presents a
unique challenge for international trade organizations like the WTO.
Potential Committee Positions and Arguments
Developed Countries:•
• Advocate for strong intellectual property protection and data privacy standards.
• Push for open internet and free flow of data.
• Emphasize the importance of international cooperation in cybersecurity.
Developing Countries:•
• Seek technical assistance and capacity building in cybersecurity.
• Advocate for affordable access to technology and digital infrastructure.
• Raise concerns about digital divide and its impact on trade.
UNDERDEVLOPED COUNTRIES

:• Highlight vulnerability to cyberattacks due to limited resources.

• Call for international support in building cybersecurity resilience.
• Emphasize the importance of cybersecurity for
sustainable development.
 Moderated caucus Topic-2

Digital Trade Facilitation: Identify measures to reduce barriers to cross-

border e-commerce.
Key points-
1) Custom duties on digital trade and e-commerce.
2) Low De-Minimis Value
3) E-payments
 Moderated caucus Topic-3
Consumer Protection in E-commerce: Ensuring consumer rights are
practiced fairly in the e-commerce market.

Key points:
• Product Information
• Grievance redressal
• Counterfeit products
• Unfair trade practices
• Data protection
• Transparency
 Moderated Caucus Topic-4

Addressing the impact on the short artisans and peasants from the
digital trade and e- commerce.
 E-COMMERCE JOINT INITIATIVE

WHAT IS E-COM JOINT INITIATIVE?

The World Trade Organization's (WTO) Joint Initiative on E-commerce (JI) is a group
of members working on trade-related aspects of electronic commerce.
The Joint Initiative (JI) on Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) at the World Trade
Organization (WTO) is the first global digital trade agreement. This is an economy-
wide deal that will boost global trade in goods, services and information and help
to make trade faster, cheaper, fairer and more secure.
As of 25 June 2024, there are 91 WTO members participating in these discussions,
accounting for over 90 per cent of global trade. As is the case for all the joint
statement initiatives, participation in the e-commerce JSI is open to
all WTO members.
On 26 July 2024, the joint statement Co-conveners, Australia, Japan and Singapore,
confirmed in a statement on behalf of the participants that after five years of
negotiations, participants had achieved a stabilised text.
• The agreement focuses on three main areas:
[Link] Trade Facilitation: Simplifying and streamlining digital trade processes.
[Link] Digital Environment: Ensuring a fair and open digital marketplace.
[Link] and Consumer Trust: Enhancing trust in digital transactions.
 Custom Duties-

• Moratorium on Customs Duties: One of the key achievements of the

JSl is the continuation of the moratorium on customs duties for
electronic transmissions. This means that no customs duties are
levied on the digital transfer of data, software, music, videos, or other
digital products.
• Physical Goods: For physical goods purchased online, traditional
customs duties still apply. However, the JSI aims to simplify customs
procedures for e-commerce to facilitate cross-border trade.
• Rules of Procedure
Roll Call
A committee meeting begins with a roll call, without which quorum cannot be established. A
debate cannot begin without a quorum being established. A delegate may change his/her roll call in
the next session. For example, if Delegate answers the Present in the First session, he can answer
Present and vote in the next session when the roll call occurs. During the roll call, the country
names are recalled out of alphabetical order, and delegates can answer either by saying Present or
Present and voting. Following are the ways a roll call can be responded in
• Present- Delegates can vote Yes, no, or abstain for a Draft Resolution when they answer the Roll
Call with Present;
• Present and voting- An delegate is required to vote decisively, i.e., Yes/No only if they have
answered the Roll Call with a Present and voting. A Delegate cannot abstain in this case.
• Abstention- The Delegate may abstain from voting if they are in doubt, or if their country
supports some points but opposes others. Abstention can also be used if a delegate believes that
the passage of the resolution will harm the world, even though it is unlikely to be highly specific. A
delegate who responded with present and voting is not allowed to abstain during a substantive
vote.
 General Speakers List
• After the agenda for the session has been established, a motion is raised to open the
General Speaker’s List or GSL. The GSL is where all types of debates take place
throughout the conference, and the list remains open throughout the duration of the
agenda’s discussion. If a delegate wishes to speak in the GSL, he or she must notify the
Executive Board by raising his or her placard when the Executive asks for Delegates
desiring to speak in the GSL. Each country’s name will be listed in the order in which it
will deliver its speech. A GSL can have an individual speaker time of anywhere from 60-
120 seconds. Following their GSL speech, a Delegate has the option of yielding his/her
time to a specific Delegate, Information Points (questions) or to the Executive Board.
• Speakers List will be followed for all debate on the Topic Area, except when superseded
by procedural motions, amendments, or the introduction of a draft resolution. Speakers
may speak generally on the Topic Area being considered and may address any draft
resolution currently on the floor. Debate automatically closes when the Speakers List is
exhausted.
.
 Yield
• A delegate granted the right to speak on a substantive issue may yield in one of
three ways at the conclusion of his/her speech: to another delegate, to questions,
or to the Director. Please note that only one yield is allowed. A delegate must
declare any yield at the conclusion of his or her speech.

• Yield to another delegate. When a delegate has some time left to speak, and he/
she doesn’t wish to utilise it, that delegate may elect to yield the remaining
speaking time to another delegate. This can only be done with the prior consent
of another delegate (taken either verbally or through chits). The delegate who
has been granted the other’s time may use it to make a substantive speech, but
cannot further yield it.
• • Yield to questions. Questioners will be selected by the Executive Board. Follow-
up questions will be allowed only at the discretion of the Director. The Director
will have the right to call to order any delegate whose question is, in the opinion
of the Director, rhetorical and leading and not designed to elicit information. Only
the speaker’s answers to questions will be deducted from the speaker’s
remaining time.

• • Yield to the EB. Such a yield should be made if the delegate does not wish
his/her speech to be subject to questions. The moderator will then move to the
next speaker.
 Motions
• Motions are the formal term used for when one initiates an action. Motions cover a wide
variety of things.

• • Once the floor is open, the Chairs will ask for any points or motions. If you wish to bring
one to the Floor, this is what you should do:

• • Raise your placard in a way that the chair can read it

• • Wait until the Chair recognizes you

• • Stand up and after properly addressing the Chair (“thank you, honourable Chair” or
something along these lines), state what motion you wish to propose

• • Chairs will generally repeat the motions and may also ask for clarification. Chairs may
do this if they do not understand and may also ask for or suggest modifications to the
motion that they feel might benefit the debate.
• Every motion is subject to seconds, if not otherwise stated. To pass a motion at
least one other nation has to second the motion brought forward. A nation
cannot second its own motion. If there are no seconds, the motion automatically
fails.

• If a motion has a second, the Chair will ask for objections. If no objections are
raised, the motion will pass without discussion or a procedural vote. In case of
objections, a procedural vote will be held. The vote on a motion requires a simple
majority, if not otherwise stated.
• While voting upon motions, there are no abstentions. If a vote is required,
everyone must vote either “Yes” or “No”. If there is a draw on any vote, the vote
will be retaken once
• In case there are multiple motions on the Floor, the vote will be casted by their
Order of Precedence. If one motion passes, the others will not be voted upon
anymore. However, they may be reintroduced once the Floor is open again.
• During a moderated caucus, there will be no speakers’ list. The moderator will call
upon speakers in the order in which the signal their desire to speak. If you want
to bring in a motion for a moderated caucus, you will have to specify the
duration, a speakers’ time, a moderator, and the purpose of the caucus. This
motion is subject to seconds and objections but is not debatable.

• In an unmoderated caucus, proceedings are not bound by the Rules of Procedure.

Delegates may move around the room freely and converse with other delegates.
This is also the time to create blocks, develop ideas, and formulate working
papers, draft resolutions, and amendments. Remember that you are required to
stay in your room unless given permission to leave by a Chair.
During the course of debate, the following points are
in order:
• Point of Personal Privilege: Whenever a delegate experiences personal discomfort
which impairs his or her ability to participate in the proceedings, he or she may
rise to a Point of Personal Privilege to request that the discomfort be corrected.
While a Point of Personal Privilege in extreme case may interrupt a speaker,
delegates should use this power with the utmost discretion.

• Point of Order: During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may rise to a Point
of Order to indicate an instance of improper parliamentary procedure. The Point
of Order will be immediately decided by the Director in accordance with these
rules of procedure. The Director may rule out of order those points that are
improper. A representative rising to a Point of Order may not speak on the
substance of the matter under discussion. A Point of Order may only interrupt a
speaker if the speech is not following proper parliamentary procedure.
• Point of Parliamentary Enquiry: When the floor is open, a delegate may rise to a Point of
Parliamentary Inquiry to ask the EB a question regarding the rules of procedure. A Point
of Parliamentary Inquiry may never interrupt a speaker. Delegates with substantive
questions should not rise to this Point, but should rather approach the committee staff
during caucus or send a note to the dais.
• Point of information: After a delegate gives a speech, and if the delegate yields their time
to Points of Information, one Point of Information (a question) can be raised by delegates
from the floor.
• The speaker will be allotted the remainder of his or her speaking time to address Points
of Information. Points of Information are directed to the speaker and allow other
delegations to ask questions in relation to speeches and resolutions.
• Right to Reply: A delegate whose personal or national integrity has been impugned by
another delegate may submit a Right of Reply only in writing to the committee staff. The
Director will grant the Right of Reply and his or her discretion and a delegate granted a
Right of Reply will not address the committee except at the request of the Director.
•
 Draft Resolution
• Once a draft resolution has been approved as stipulated above and has been
copied and distributed, a delegate(s) may motion to introduce the draft
resolution. The Director, time permitting, shall read the operative clauses of the
draft resolution. A procedural vote is then taken to determine whether the
resolution shall be introduced. Should the motion receive the simple majority
required to pass, the draft resolution will be considered introduced and on the
floor. The Director, at his or her discretion, may answer any clarificatory points on
the draft resolution. Any substantive points will be ruled out of order during this
period, and the Director may end this clarificatory question-answer period’ for
any reason, including time constraints. More than one draft resolution may be on
the floor at any one time, but at most one draft resolution may be passed per
Topic Area.
• A draft resolution will remain on the floor until debate on that specific draft
resolution is postponed or closed or a draft resolution on that Topic Area has
been passed. Debate on draft resolutions proceeds according to the general
Speakers List for that topic area and delegates may then refer to the draft
resolution by its designated number. No delegate may refer to a draft resolution
 Amendments
• All amendments need to be written and submitted to the executive board. The
format for this is authors, signatories and the clause with mentioning the add,
delete and replace. There are two forms of amendment, which can be raised by
raising a 9otion for amendment and approval of the chair:

• Friendly Amendments: Amendment, which is agreed upon by all the author’s

does not require any kind of voting

• Unfriendly Amendments: Amendments that are introduced by any other need

not be voted upon by the council and are directly incorporated in the resolution.
You need a simple majority in order to introduce a normal amendment.
 BODY of Draft Resolution

• The draft resolution is written in the format of a long sentence, with the following
rules: • Draft resolution consists of clauses with the first word of each clause
underlined.

• The next section, consisting of Preambulatory Clauses, describes the problem

being addressed, recalls past actions taken, explains the purpose of the draft
resolution, and offers support for the operative clauses that follow. Each clause in
the preamble begins with an underlined word and ends with a comma.

• Operative Clauses are numbered and state the action to be taken by the body.
These clauses are all with the present tense active verbs and are generally
stronger words than those used in the Preamble. Each operative clause is
followed by a semi-colon except the last, which end