Transcript FTAA.ecom/inf/142 June 4, 2002 Electronic Commerce E

Public
FTAA.ecom/inf/142
June 4, 2002
Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
E-GOVERNMENT
THE COSTA RICAN
EXPERIENCE
May 2002
E-GOVERNMENT
Costa Rica’s Experience



I. Some important Internet and electronic
commerce indicators
II. Policies to promote electronic
commerce
III. Conclusions
I. Some important Internet
and electronic commerce
indicators
E-GOVERNMENT
Costa Rica’s Experience
Internet access and use in Costa Rica (2000)
Population:
Use the Internet:
Have a computer:
Internet literate and actually use it:
4 million
20% population
21% households
300,000 households
National telephony coverage:
95%
Literacy rate:
95.5%




Costa Rica
EXPORTS OF GOODS
1984-2000
7,000
6,000
Others
ITA
Traditional
4,000
3,000
2,000
Year
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
-
1985
1,000
1984
US$ millions
5,000
II. Policies to promote Internet
and electronic commerce
E-GOVERNMENT
Costa Rica’s Experience
“Digital Agenda”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Improve infrastructure
Universal Internet access
New economy
Promote digital government
Legal framework
Digital Agenda
I. Infrastructure

Objective: broaden Internet service
capacity (bandwidth), lower cost and
provide top quality infrastructure
Digital Agenda
I. Improving Infrastructure
Initiatives




Upgrading connectivity: telephony, cable connections,
etc.
Fibre-optic ring connections
Maya 1 and Arcos 1 optical fibre submarine system
Network installation
a) Advanced Internet Network
b) GOBNET, CRNET
c) Internet Network 2
d) EDUNET
Broadband Connections
per 100 inhabitants
South Korea
Canada
Costa Rica*
United States
Austria
Netherlands
Belgium
Sweden
Denmark
Iceland
Finland
Japan
Switzerland
Australia
Norway
France
Portugal
Germany
Italy
Spain
Great Britain
(*) Forecast by MICIT Source: Prepared with OECD and MICIT data.
Digital Agenda
2. Universal Internet access

Objective: Extensive access to new
technologies; electronic mail and
Internet as vehicles for trade, education
and cultural exchange
Digital Agenda
2. Universal Internet Access
Initiatives:
a) Seamless communication
b) LINCOS
c) Lower Internet rates
d) Education and Human Resources:
 Omar Dengo Foundation
 CEFOF
 CENFOTEC
Digital Agenda
2. Universal Internet access
Seamless communication
a) www.costarricense.cr :



Costa Rica: free e-mail
First country worldwide
150,000 users
b) Telecenters:

A total of 187 telecenters in all towns throughout the country,
public libraries and 30 post offices.
Objective: 20% of the population
Digital Agenda
2. Universal Internet access
LINCOS




www.lincos.net
Costa Rican Foundation for Sustainable Development. Has two
“strategic partners”: Media Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT), Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR)
A true alternative way forward for remote communities.
The program consists in setting up digital community centers
offering access and intelligent use of information technologies,
housed in a suitably re-conditioned cargo containers.
Digital Agenda
2. Universal Internet access
LINCOS
Services and Applications






Telemedicine
E-mail
Videoconferencing
Internet
Electronic commerce and distance education
And much more
Digital Agenda
3. New Economy

Objective: boost the growth of world class,
Costa Rican technology-based companies
that are integrated into the global economy;
adapt the way business is done to internal
and external factors
Digital Agenda
3. New Economy
Initiatives
Information Systems: (www.infoagro.go.cr),
(www.siec.go.cr ), (www.marketplacecostarica.com),
(www.mipyme.com)
Digital Agenda
4. Digital Government as model user

Objective: The government must act as a
model user, providing local content and all
types of on-line facilities for citizens (simple
procedures, greater transparency, informationoriented culture).
Digital Agenda
4. Digital government as model user
Initiatives



Government portal (www.go.cr)
CompraRed” (www.hacienda.go.cr/comprared)
On-line tax declarations and returns
(www.hacienda.go.cr/tributacion)
(www.hacienda.go.cr/aduanas)


BUDHA (www.hacienda.go.cr/budha/)
Payroll (www.ccss.sa.cr/sicere)
Digital Agenda
4. Digital government as model user
Initiatives

On-line payment of services (www.ice.go.cr/servicios,

www.cnfl.go.cr/linea/pago.htm,
www.netsalud.sa.cr/aya,
www.bncr.fi.cr, www.bancobcr.com)
One-stop portal (www.procomer.com)

Costa
Rican
Legal
Information
System
(www.poder-judicial.go.cr ó www.pgr.go.cr)



Office of the Comptroller General of
Republic (www.cgr.go.cr)
National Registry (www.registronacional.go.cr)
Social Portal (www.imas.go.cr)
the
Digital Agenda
5. Legal framework

Objective: Develop a legal framework
that provides the level of certainty
required while not imposing but, rather,
eliminating unnecessary trade barriers.
Digital Agenda
5. Legal framework
i. - “Draft Law on Digital Signatures and Digital
Certificates”, File No. 14.276, of 30 April
Published in Official Gazette No 82, Bulletin No
31.
ii.- Other draft laws
Digital Agenda
5. Legal framework
iii.- Intellectual Property:




Law No. 7979 of 31 January 2000, reforms to the
Law on Copyright and Neighboring Rights
Law No. 7968 of 22 December 1999, WIPO
Copyright Treaty (WCT),
Law No. 7967 of 22 December 1999, WIPO
Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).
Law on Procedures for Enforcement of Intellectual
Property Rights, Law No 8039 of 2 October 2000.
CONCLUSIONS



Greater efficiency, lower costs, and transparency in
public administration are some of the intrinsic benefits
of adopting information technologies, which, in turn,
will make it possible to attain a higher level of
democracy.
E-government facilities include user access to
information on State institutions, formalities and
requirements, consultation services and on-line
transactions and payments. The information is
provided with links between all the agencies and
agents.
E-government must operate as a tool for integrating
the private and public sectors and civil society.
CONCLUSIONS



In addition to simplifying procedures, ensuring
enhanced transparency and cutting red tape, it paves
the way for an information-oriented culture, thus
eliminating the obstacles to using digital media.
The aim is to create a more efficient State through the
use of the Internet and at the same time, its role as a
model user of information technologies.
With the State serving as “model-user,” people’s trust
in the use and security of these technologies will
increase. Consequently, Internet supply and demand
will increase and lead to a more favorable environment
for electronic commerce.
CONCLUSIONS


The task will not be easy. Systems that add value to
government tasks are needed to create local Internet
content and contribute to efforts to close the digital
divide, support the private sector and improve
infrastructure.
“Creating a digital superhighway is not enough if it is
not used or if people do not know how to use it, and
this is where the government plays a fundamental role
- in promoting and using this superhighway.”