France welcomes India’s drive for digitalisation of trade documents

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 25 (ANI): French trade minister Olivier Becht on Friday thanked India for engaging in discussion about digitalisation and logistics and other key aspects and current challenges of the trade.

Speaking in a session themed ‘Leveraging technology for paperless commerce’ during the ongoing G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting here, the French minister said his country strongly welcomes G20 work on high-level principles for the digitalisation of trade documents.

“The digitalisation of trade documents will make it easier for our companies to carry out import and export transactions. It could especially facilitate the access of SMEs to international trade and encourage their expansion in a highly uncertain environment,” the minister said, adding he was convinced this digitalisation will boost the competitiveness of export businesses.

Becht, who apart from trade also holds Economic Attractiveness, and French Nationals Abroad, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs portfolios, added all G20 members must support and accompany this digitalisation process.

“And let me underline this process of digitalisation is already a priority in France: with my colleague in charge of economy Bruno Le Maire, we have commissioned a special report on the legislative evolutions needed to implement this digitalization,” the minister added. The report was delivered just before summer and hoped to implement its conclusions “as soon as possible”.

“Then, to advance our common objective of trade inclusiveness, I am convinced it will be important to provide technical assistance to developing countries to ensure that they are able to join this process.  We will have to make sure that their business community takes up this challenge.”

The two-day G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting is underway in Jaipur from Thursday. The deliberations focussed on building consensus on global trade and investment-related issues, along with accomplishing action-oriented proposals put forward by the Indian Presidency.