Legal Instrument

Title

Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA)

Dates of the instrument
Date of adoption/publication: --
Summary

The Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), is an innovative trade policy instrument focused on digital economy issues, and initiated by Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. It addresses a range of emerging digital economy issues including artificial intelligence, digital identities, and digital inclusion. The DEPA is a stand-alone, open plurilateral agreement to which other World Trade Organization (WTO) members are eligible to join. It builds upon the digital trade or e-commerce chapters of existing free trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), adding enhanced commitments on facilitating digital trade and multi-party cooperation on a range of advanced technologies.

Key paperless trade provisions include:

  • Electronic transaction frameworks (Module 2)
  • Paperless trading requirements (Article 2.2)
  • Electronic authentication and digital certificates (Article 2.3)
  • Electronic invoicing standards (Article 2.5)
  • Express shipments facilitation (Article 2.6)
  • Digital identities interoperability (Module 5)
  • Artificial intelligence governance frameworks
  • Cross-border data flow standards
  • Electronic payments facilitation
Website(s)
DEPA Webpage
Relevant document(s)
DEPA Text signed
Geographical coverage
Global
Legal nature
Digital Economy Agreements
Trade processes
Commercial Processes
Border and Regulatory Processes
Trade documents
Commercial Invoice (INV)
Customs Declaration (CD)
Phytosanitary certificate (ePhyto)
Advance Ruling Application (ARA)
Contact point
New Zealand - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
enquiries@mfat.govt.nz
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/
Contact point