Guatemala Proposes WTO Study on E-Commerce and Green Supply Chains

By Mayora IP

Guatemala submitted a communication to the World Trade Organization (WTO) proposing a comprehensive study on e-commerce and green supply chains for small economies.

The communication emphasizes the need to understand, through data analysis, how digital trade can foster economic growth in smaller countries. The proposed study will focus on the following key areas:

-Clarifying Terminology: Defining key terms like "e-commerce" and "digital trade" based on existing WTO and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) frameworks.

-Identifying Critical Digital Economy Factors: Determining the essential elements of the digital economy, such as hard and soft infrastructure, internet access, and digital skills, necessary to drive growth and competitiveness, particularly in the tourism sector.

-Analyzing the E-commerce Regulatory Environment: Examining the domestic regulations required for countries to fully leverage the benefits of e-commerce and enhance their global competitiveness.

In Guatemala, e-commerce emerged in the 1990's, but it was not until 2011 that it gained momentum. And due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe home quarantines decreed by the government, there was a change in the consumer habits shifting from store shopping to online shopping, and a growth in the preference of  electronic payment.

In 2022 international online sales grew by 73%, and local online sales grew 135%. Guatemala is using  e-commerce not only within the private sector, but also within some government institutions that have launched web pages offering interactive services.

There is a trend of purchasing products from the United States, considering the ease of conducting business, and the well-established delivery companies found in Guatemala.  Guatemalan consumers also buy from the European and Mexican eMarkets.

Some of the most popular products Guatemala purchase overseas are electronics, clothing, car spare parts, household items, gifts, decorations, books, online courses.