Institute for Internet Policy & Law @ Beijing Normal University

 Organizer’s Thank-You Letter to Professor Hong Xue

39th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (“ICDPPC”) was held on 25-29 September 2017 at Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, Hong Kong.  This Conference was hosted by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as one of the events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. The ICDPPC was first convened in 1979 and has been the annual premier global frum for data protection authorities for over three decades. The Conference seeks to provide leadership at international level in data protection and privacy and links more than a hundred privacy and data protection authorities from across the globe. The 39th ICDPPC comprised a comprehensive 4-day programme consisting of a closed session for the accredited members of ICDPPC and an open session attended by all in the data protection community including data controllers, privacy related enterprises, business entities, professionals and academia. More than 750 delegates from over 60 countries or regions attended the event where renowned practitioners and entrepreneurs from around the world joined as speakers and panelists to share their wisdom. The 39th ICDPPC was hailed as the prime arena and excellent platform for all international and local stakeholders to pick one and another’s expertise and map out the future privacy landscape.

Prof. Xue was invited to give the keynote speeches both at the Open Forum “Notice and Consent-From India to Japan” and the workshop “Privacy and Encryption in Digital Age”. Prof. Xue summarized the latest legal and practical developments in Asia Pacific Region and made indepth analysis on the relevant topics.

The thank-you-letter from Mr Stephen Wong, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, HKSAR is attached.

Gratitude Letter_Prof. Hong Xue

ESCAP, ADB and the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs Indonesia organized the 8th Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum from the 5-8 September 2017 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The theme for this year’s APTFF is Trade Facilitation Innovations for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. The Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation is the leading regional platform for the exchange of information, experiences and practice on trade facilitation. The APTFF has been organized by UN ESCAP and ADB and growing number of partners since 2009. The Forum attracts over 250 participants from over 30 countries. This year’s Forum featured panel discussions, interactive sessions and an exhibition highlighting innovations and trends in trade facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region. The Forum also included a number of side-events providing more in-depth exploration of the pertinent trade facilitation issues. These events are held to maximize learning and capacity building on trade facilitation of participants attending the Forum. While the nature and number of side events vary every year, they generally include a study tour organized by the host country, as well as technical workshops co-organized with the United Nations Network of Experts for Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (UNNExT), WCO or other members of the Global Facilitation Partnerships for Trade and Transport (GFP).

Prof. Xue presented on legal impact of international digital trade at the Session 3 Facilitating Trade Behind the Border: Creating an Enabling (Business) Environment for Cross-border trade on September 6, 2017. She also participated in the UNNExT Advisory Committee Meeting. On September 7, 2017, Prof. Xue moderated the UNCITRAL Side Event “Taking FTA Electronic Commerce Chapters Seriously: UNCITRAL Texts for Mutual Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures” and actively contributed to the Panel’s discussion and Q&A.

The United Nations Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (Framework Agreement)  has been adopted after three member states of UNESCAP , China, Bangladesh and Cambodia, deposited their signatures before September 1, 2017, the period open for signatures. According to the Framework Agreement, it will become effective after 5 member states ratify it.

This treaty is the first regional agreement of its kind to specifically focus on developing digital trade facilitation measures to achieve paperless trade across borders. Open to all 53 member States of ESCAP, the new treaty will support the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, which entered into force in February 2017. It is also expected to help harmonize the growing number of bilateral and subregional paperless trade initiatives in the region. Prof. Xue’s paper “The Newest UN Treaty to Facilitate Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific: An Insight Preview” dedicated to the agreement has been formally accepted for publication on the prestigious  SSCI Journal of World Trade and will be availed online and physically in December 2017 in Geneva.

Prof. Xue, as the invited legal expert, took part in the both the Legal and Technical Working Group (IISG) meeting and the 3rd meeting of the Intergovernmental Steering Group on Cross-border Paperless Trade Facilitation on the 21-24 March 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. Significant progress was made on a draft road map for implementation of the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific. Prof. Xue gave a presentation on the international laws that are essential or complementary to the Framework Agreement at the Working Group meeting and her draft on implementation of Article 10 of the Framework Agreement was officially accepted as the supporting document for implementing the Road-map at the IISG meeting. Senior officials from 26 countries in the Asia-Pacific region participated in the Steering Group’s deliberations.

The Steering Group made significant improvement on a draft roadmap which outlines actions for successful implementation of the treaty. The Steering Group also agreed on a signing ceremony of the treaty to be held in August 2017. The text of the new treaty was adopted in May 2016 and opened for signature in New York later that year.

On July 13, 2017, the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) released for implementation the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR).  The MLETR legally enables the use of electronic transferable records that are functionally equivalent to transferable instruments including bills of lading, bills of exchange, promissory notes and warehouse receipts.  The use of electronic transferable records is expected to bring about benefits to electronic commerce including efficiency and security of transmission. Electronic transferable records are relevant for business areas such as transport and logistics and finance. The MLETR sets forth the requirements for the use and defines control as the functional equivalent of possession of a transferable instrument. The MLETR also provides guidance on the assessment of the reliability of the method used to manage the electronic transferable record, on change of medium and on cross-border aspects. The adoption of the principle of functional equivalence allows the MLETR to operate without affecting the substantive law. The adoption of the principle of technology neutrality allows to accommodate the use of all methods and technologies, including blockchain distributed ledgers).

JCP congratulates the successful completion of the MLETR project and the UNCITRAL Working Group IV that has been working on this very hard for years. Hopefully the new Model Law will be widely adopted around the world like the previous two Model Laws in the filed of e-commerce.

国际贸易法委员会亚太地区中心(UNCITRAL RCAP)与北京师范大学(BNU)国际电子商务法联合认证项目(JCP)自2013年建立以来，于2014年至2016年成功举办了三届“国际电子商务法学术周”活动，包括学术研讨会、学术讲座、模拟法庭等，与教学科研紧密结合、良性互动，成效显著。在《中华人民共和国电子商务法》（草案）已经提请中国全国人大常委会初次审议的背景下，“联合认证项目第四届春季国际电子商务法学术周”（2017 Spring JCP Academic Week）活动将于2017年6月第一周在北京师范大学法学院举办，主要包括以下活动：2017年6月5日13:30“一带一路经济体跨境电子商务法律问题国际研讨会”在北师大法学院学术报告厅举行；2017年6月6日18点“国际电子商务法国际专家讲座”在北师大法学院1922教室举行；以及于2017年6月3日合作主办的“电子商务发展与立法国际研讨会”。

一带一路经济体跨境电子商务法律问题国际研讨会

International Seminar on Legal Issues in Cross-Border E-Commerce Among One Belt One Road Economies

主办单位：北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心（Beijing Normal University Institute for Internet Policy & Law）

合办单位：国际商会中国国家委员会海关与贸易便利化委员会（ICC China Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee ）

日期、时间：2017年6月5日13:30-17:00 / 5 June 2017 13:30-17:00

地点：北京师范大学法学院学术报告厅（北师大后主楼1822） / Beijing Normal University Law School Auditorium

主持人：北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心主任 薛虹教授 / Prof. dr. Hong Xue, Director of BNU Institute for Internet Policy & Law

2017年6月5日下午，一带一路经济体跨境电子商务法律问题国际研讨会（International Seminar on Legal Issues in Cross-Border E-Commerce Among One Belt One Road Economies）在后主楼1824高铭暄学术会议室举行。本次研讨会是由北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心主办国际商会中国国家委员会海关与贸易便利化委员会合办的本次研讨会由北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心主任薛虹教授现场主持，中华人民共和国商务部条约法律司黄杰处长、阿里研究院电商研究中心副主任薛艳女士、亿邦动力总裁郑敏先生、网规研究中心主任阿拉木斯先生和联合国国际贸易法委员会Luca Castellani先生 / Mr. Luca Castellani出席本次研讨会并进行主题发言。阿里巴巴集团、亿邦动力国际电子商务股份有限公司等企业和联合国国际贸易法委员会的代表以及北京师范大学的师生代表共计40余人参加了会议。六位主讲人分别从不同方面对一带一路跨境电商法律问题提出了自己的研究成果和畅想。

会议开始，在薛虹教授热烈欢迎各位嘉宾代表与会人员出席本次会议，并简单介绍了本次会议的与会人员和议程。

随后中华人民共和国商务部条约法律司黄杰处长就中国电子商务法草案中跨境电子商务法律制度发表了建议，他表示跨境电商对互联网+和双创都有促进、先导作用，对一带一路的建设提供了更好的平台。我们要在进行制度创新，推动制度设计，探索立法，借鉴各国立法经验。跨境电商作为新生事物，我们在立法中用专章来进行了总体规范，7个条款都是原则性规范，给未来的发展预留了足够的空间。

薛艳副主任以 eWTP助力“一带一路”建设为主题，就一带一路倡议与网上丝绸之路；阿里大数据与各沿路国的接入程度；阿里实践的经验； eWTP畅想四个方面进行了深入的讲解。

郑敏总裁主要为我们介绍了现阶段跨境电商态势的思考，他提到跨境电商主要带来了4个方面的变化，并介绍了跨境电商最新的动态：品质商品接棒拉动增长、趋零售态势更明显、新空间是综合供应链服务、数字丝路是海陆空网相乘、政策规则反复不必悲观。

阿拉木斯就我国“国内法律下跨境电子商务的平台责任”进行了深入的分析。他先从国内4个新事件入手，介绍了平台责任发展的3个阶段、6个趋势、以及现状，并总结了给平台责任的不确定因素，最后提出了不断拉高平台责任的危害。

薛虹教授以其丰富的实务经验和深厚的学术素养，主要介绍了联合国最新形成的《亚太地区跨境无纸贸易便利化框架协定》的主要形成过程和主要内容。该协定是由中、韩、俄三国领导倡议形成，在亚太地区适用，旨在促进各成员国法律与实践的协调化，其最核心的法律贡献是规范了电子形式贸易数据和文件的跨境互认。

Luca Castellani先生主要介绍了《联合国国际合同使用电子通讯公约》，他认为，实体贸易想要在现有各国法律体系上实现一体化很难，但跨境电商作为新生事物，应采用不同的模式，将联合国示范法推广到各国，以实现贸易便利化。他还认为跨境电商中，B2B虽然是不可避免的难点，但G2G更是难点。如何讲非歧视原则、功能等同原则、技术中立原则理想的适用于各国的司法、公法模式是我们要一直努力的工作，但现在更迫在眉睫的是怎么将该3个原则适用于跨境贸易便利化中。

会议最后，薛虹教授在总结讲话中再次对各位代表的出席和表示衷心感谢

本次研讨会是北京师范大学法学院“国际电子商务联合认证项目第四届春季国际电子商务法学术周”（2017 Spring JCP Academic Week）的系列活动之一。联合国国际贸易法委员会亚太地区中心(UNCITRAL RCAP)与北京师范大学(BNU)国际电子商务法联合认证项目(JCP)自2013年建立以来，于2014年至2016年成功举办了三届“国际电子商务法学术周”活动，包括学术研讨会、学术讲座、模拟法庭等，与教学科研紧密结合、良性互动，成效显著。

 附会议议程：

13:30-13:45 简要介绍 / Introduction

13:45-14:15 中国《电子商务法》草案中跨境电子商务法律制度 / Legal Systems on Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Draft of Chinese E-Commerce Law

主讲人：商务部条约法律司刘红处长 / Ms. Hong Liu, Treaty and Law Department, Ministry of Commerce

14:15-14:45  eWTP助力“一带一路”建设 / eWTP Empowers the Construction of One Belt One Road

主讲人：阿里研究院电商研究中心副主任薛艳女士 / Ms. Yan Xue, Deputy Director of E-Commerce Research Center, Ali Academy

14:45-15:15 跨境电子商务态势思考 / Thoughts on the Trend of Cross-Border E-Commerce

主讲人：亿邦动力总裁郑敏先生 / Mr. Min Zheng, CEO of of Ebrun International E-Commerce Inc.

15:15-15:45 国内法律下跨境电子商务的平台责任 / The Liability of Cross-border E-Commerce Platforms under the Domestic Laws

主讲人：网规研究中心主任阿拉木斯先生 / Mr. Alamusi, Director of Net Rules Research Center

15:45-16:15 联合国亚太地区跨境无纸化贸易便利化框架协议 / Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific

主讲人：北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心主任薛虹教授 / Prof. dr. Hong Xue, Director of BNU Institute for Internet Policy & Law

16:15-16:45联合国国际合同使用电子通讯公约 / United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts

主讲人：联合国国际贸易法委员会Luca Castellani先生 / Mr. Luca Castellani, UNCITRAL

16:45-17:00 会议总结 / Conclusion

国际电子商务法国际专家讲座

International Expert Lecture on International E-Commerce Law

主办单位：北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心

日期、时间：2017年6月6日18:00-20:00 / 6 June 2017 18:00-20:00

地点：北京师范大学法学院1922教室 / Beijing Normal University Law School Classroom 1922

主持人：北京师范大学互联网政策与法律研究中心主任 薛虹教授 / Prof. dr. Hong Xue, Director of BNU Institute for Internet Policy & Law

主讲人：联合国国际贸易法委员会Luca Castellani先生 / Mr. Luca Castellani, UNCITRAL

电子商务发展与立法国际研讨会

International Symposium on E-Commerce Legislation and Industrial Development

2017年6月3日 3 June 2017′

主办单位：北京外国语大学 Beijing Foreign Studies University

支持单位：国际电子商务法联合认证项目 UNCITRAL RCAP-BNU Joint Certificate Program on International E-Commerce Law