Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | 195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18 901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand
Ph +64 4 439 8000, | Email:info at mfat.govt.nz
Treaty Code:
B2020-02
Treaty Type:
Bilateral/Plurilateral
Common Name:
DEPA
Responsible Department:
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Administering Department:
Treaty Status:
In Force
Treaty Summary:
The Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) involves New Zealand, Singapore and Chile. It explores what might be possible in terms of principles, rules, cooperation or other approaches for digital trade and the digital economy. The parties consider all aspects of the digital economy that might support trade in the digital era. DEPA is a 'pathfinder agreement' for this area, and sets the agenda for disciplines and commitments in digital trade.
DEPA complements the WTO-based negotiations on e-commerce and builds on the digital economy work underway within APEC, the OECD and other international forums.
Some of the key topics being discussed in DEPA are:
- Enabling digital trade
- Business and trade facilitation – issues like digital trade facilitation (paperless trading and electronic invoicing for example), logistics;
- Openness and digital trade
- Market openness – customs duties, procurement and ‘access and non-discrimination’;
- Data issues – issues like cross border transfers of information, location of computer facilities;
- Trust and digital trade, including privacy
- Business trust – issues like unsolicited commercial electronic messages
- Consumer trust – issues like consumer protection
- Intellectual property and innovation – issues like access to source code and open data;
- Wider trust environment – issues like cybersecurity and digital identities;
- Emerging trends and technologies – issues like artificial intelligence and financial technology;
- Cross cutting issues
- General provisions and legal framework - issues like definitions, scope, relationship with other agreements, transparency, general exceptions (including New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi exception), accession procedures;
- Cooperation – issues like digital inclusion, ensuring DEPA operates as a ‘living agreement’
The Protocol to the DEPA (the Protocol) was signed on 15 July 2023 NZT. The Protocol reinforces the legal certainty and enforceability of key rules in the original DEPA for New Zealand digital exporters and DEPA accession candidates.
The Protocol will become binding on DEPA Parties under international law only after each Party’s completion of its internal legal procedures necessary for the Protocol’s entry into force.
NZ Adherence Status:
In Force
Adherence Type:
Ratified
Signature Date:
11/06/2020
Adherence Date:
Expired:
No
Date Concluded:
11/06/2020
Place Concluded:
Signed Electronically
Entry Into Force Date:
07/01/2021
NZ Entry Into Force Date:
07/01/2021
Termination Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Withdrawal Notification Date:
NZ Objections:
No
NZ Reservations:
No
NZ Declarations:
No
NZ Territorial Applications:
None
NZTS Number:
UNTS Number:
Associated Treaties:
Other References:
Treaty Text Link:
Parties:
Contact Information:
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