OAS

 
Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA)
  Background and Negotiations
   

The Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) was born out of the common interest of Chile, New Zealand and Singapore to harness the potential of the Digital Economy to target smaller economies and provide more opportunities to include more people and MSMEs in the global economy.

The main objective of this agreement is to establish basic rules to promote these countries as platforms for the digital economy. This includes not only having a friendly framework for companies, where they can export their digital services and products, but also exploring new subjects in the technological context that serve society in general through inclusive economic development.

Chile, New Zealand and Singapore signed the agreement in a virtual ceremony on June 12, 2020. The Digital Economy Partnership Agreement entered into force in Chile on November 23, 2021.

On May 22, 2022 the Ministry of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, announced that Canada has submitted a formal request to launch negotiations for Canada’s accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA).

On August 18, 2022, the Vice Ministers of Commerce of Singapore, New Zealand and Chile decided to create the Accession Working Group (or AWG for its acronym in English), a formal instance of technical work which will evaluate compliance with the regulatory standards of the applicant country in relation to the DEPA.

On June 8, 2023, the members of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) Chile, New Zealand and Singapore met with their South Korean counterparts in Paris, in the framework of the Ministerial Meeting of the OECD, and announced the substantive closure of the negotiations for the entry of South Korea to the agreement.

On Friday, October 6, 2023, the DEPA Members agreed to establish the Working Group for the accession of Costa Rica, which will be coordinated by New Zealand.

On February 28, 2024, within the framework of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Government of El Salvador made official its interest in being part of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement.

On May 3, 2024, within the framework of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris, France, the authorities of Chile, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea gathered to welcome the latter country as the first new member of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), after having successfully completed its accession process.

Documents relating to the negotiations
03 May 2024 South Korea is a new member of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), after having successfully completed its accession process PDF Document New!
28 February 2024 Interest of the Government of El Salvador to be part of the Digital Economy Association Agreement in Spanish PDF Document
06 October 2023 DEPA Members agree to establish Working Group for the accession of Costa Rica in Spanish PDF Document
08 June 2023 Closure of negotiations for the entry of South Korea to the agreement in Spanish PDF Document
18 August 2022 Vice Ministers of Commerce of Singapore, New Zealand and Chile create a Working Group for the accession of China to the DEPA in Spanish PDF Document
22 May 2022 Canada announces request to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement PDF Document
23 November 2021 Digital Economy Partnership Agreement enters into force in Chile in Spanish PDF Document
12 June 2020 Chile, New Zealand and Singapore sign the DEPAPDF Document
22 January 2020 Chile, New Zealand and Singapore conclude digital economy trade talks PDF Document
22 January 2020 Joint Ministerial Statement on the substantial conclusion of Digital Economy Partnership (“DEPA”) negotiations PDF Document
17 May 2019 Chile, New Zealand and Singapore in talks on a Digital Economy Partnership PDF Document
17 May 2019 Joint Statement on the Launch of DEPA negotiations between Chile, New Zealand and Singapore PDF Document
Source: Global Affairs Canada; New Zealand Foreign Affairs & Trade; The official website of the New Zealand Government; Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales, Chile; Ministerio de Economía, El Salvador

  Sources
   
 

Spanish version 
Recent Developments
  03 May 2024 . South Korea is a new member of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), after having successfully completed its accession process New!

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