U.S. Government Working Group on Electronic Commerce: First Annual Report

Citation
U.S. Government Working Group on Electronic Commerce: First Annual Report (Nov. 30, 1998).

Overview
This report reviews various actions implementing the principles and policies enunciated in the Framework Report. It concludes by stating:

"The U.S. Government will continue to pursue the creation of a market-driven policy architecture for this new digital economy that will allow it to flourish while at the same time protecting citizens from potential negative side effects.”3"

The report highlights the following actions last year: • The United States Trade Representative succeeded in having the World Trade Organization (WTO) adopt a declaration committing member governments from not imposing custom duties on electronic commerce when information and services are delivered electronically. • Two treaties negotiated with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)4 were transmitted to the Senate, and the Congress implemented them by enacting the Millennium Copyright Act, in October 1998, which modified U.S. law to conform to the new treaties. The European Union (EU) has agreed to ratify these treaties in the near future. • The Internet Tax Freedom Act was signed and went into effect on October 21, 1998. It places a three-year moratorium on local taxation of Internet transactions. • The Administration has continued to work with various international institutions that are addressing specific aspects of Internet commerce. For example, it is working with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the issue of Internet taxation and with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) o