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The Philippines became the 72nd co-sponsor of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Electronic Commerce
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The decision aligns with national priorities on MSMEs, innovation, trade facilitation, and consumer protection
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The agreement provides flexible implementation support for developing economies
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The Philippines aims to help shape global digital trade rules ahead of the WTO Ministerial Conference in March 2026
The Philippines has formally joined as the 72nd co-sponsor of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Electronic Commerce, following its announcement at the WTO General Council’s December meeting.
The announcement was made during the WTO General Council meeting in December, where the Philippines confirmed its acceptance of the stabilized text of the agreement and its intent to integrate the pact into the WTO legal framework to promote “coherence, predictability, and legitimacy” in multilateral digital trade governance.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bureau of International Trade Relations, in a news release, said the country’s co-sponsorship aligns with key national economic priorities, including empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), fostering innovation, improving trade facilitation, strengthening consumer protection, and promoting inclusive growth.
The decision was also underpinned by the agreement’s flexible implementation provisions, which include capacity-building, technical assistance, and transition periods designed to help developing and least-developed countries adopt digital trade disciplines.
DTI undersecretary for international trade and chairperson of the technical committee on WTO matters, Atty. Allan Gepty, said the move complements the Philippines’ broader push to advance digital trade through regional and bilateral initiatives.
He noted that these include the soon-to-be-signed Philippines-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework, and ongoing talks for the Philippines-Chile CEPA and the Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
By joining the group of co-sponsors, the Philippines also signaled its readiness to contribute to substantive outcomes ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in March 2026 and to participate in future discussions on data-related issues, while ensuring that differing regulatory frameworks and development needs are taken into account.
The WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce represents the most comprehensive set of multilateral digital trade rules discussed at the WTO to date. It covers areas such as paperless trade, electronic signatures, consumer protection, cybersecurity, and open government data.
A total of 91 WTO members have participated in the negotiations, representing more than 90% of global trade.
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