The coordination work of the Brazilian Chamber of Electronic Commerce for the World Summit on the Information Society

The Brazilian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (Camara-e.net) is today the most active multi-sectorial entity of Brazil’s Digital Economy, congregating approximately 150 leading companies from the main sectors of the economy. Since its creation in 2001, Camara-e.net has been mobilizing the Brazilian private sector and organizing its participation in the development of the Information Society in Brazil. Camara-e.net plays a relevant role in the coordination of proposals from the Brazilian private sector in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

The actions of Camara-e.net include: national coordination of the coalition for the free choice of software, promotion of Brazilian information technology and communication (ITC) exports, the development of small and medium-sized companies through ITC, and the integration of the public and private sectors in the WSIS negotiations with a view to the development of TIC’s as an economic and social development tool. Ricardo Barretto, a senior partner at the Brazilian Law Firm Carvalho de Freitas e Ferreira, one of the founding members of Camara-e.net, plays an important role leading those actions as the Camara-e.net International Affairs Coordinator.

The outlook of Brazil’s private sector for the Information Society is summarized in the document entitled "e-Brazil: Proposals for a National Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Policy”, prepared jointly by Camara-e.net and Fundação Getulio Vargas, with the participation of the business and academic sectors.

“E-Brasil” was a guideline for discussions held in four preparatory meetings to the Bavaro Conference, held in January 2003 in four major Brazilian business centers, with wide participation of representatives from the private sector. From the results of these meetings, proposals were drawn up, which were taken by Camara-e.net to the Regional Ministerial Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Bavaro, in the Dominican Republic. These proposals became part of Latin America’s private sector contribution to WSIS.

Subsequent to the Bavaro Conference, Camara-e.net will continue to work in harmony with the Brazilian public sector and with the various representatives from the international private sector, until the WSIS to be held in Geneva in December of this year. For additional information please contact:

Ricardo Barretto Ferreira da Silva – International Affairs Coordinator

barretto@cff.com.br

Eduardo Damião Gonçalves

edudg@cff.com.br

Cid Torquato – Executive Director

cid.torquato@camara-e.net