Addressing Conflict of Laws and Facilitating Digital Product Passports (DPPs) in Cross-border Value Chains: Call for Participation

Help draft a white paper on Addressing Conflict of Laws and Facilitating Digital Product Passports (DPPs) in Cross-border Value Chains to achieve legal coordination and establish traceability in global trade law. The White Paper aims to be published by the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), which is a subsidiary, intergovernmental body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and serves as a focal point within the United Nations Economic and Social Council for trade facilitation recommendations and electronic business standards.

Aligned with regional and global initiatives, the White Paper seeks to address conflict of laws and foster legal harmonization essential for the implementation of DPPs across borders. The white paper will also ensure that DPPs comply with international standards, promoting interoperability and supporting a globally consistent approach. It will focus on the critical raw materials to EV batteries value chain, but will have broad implications on other industries.

The proposed White Paper will (1) present the status quo of conflict of laws in existing national and international laws relating to the implementation of DPPs, and (2) propose solutions for legal coordination and facilitate trade, especially:

1. Analyzing initial uptake of DPPs by industry stakeholders and anticipated impact;
2. Coordinating diversified national laws for cross-border data transfer involved in DPPs;
3. Obtaining mutual recognition of ESG certificates whose data are required by DPPs;
4. Promoting Interoperability between different DPPs; and
5. Incorporating the UN Transparency Protocol and other UN/CEFACT industry standards/good practices into international and national trade laws to address legal conflicts in the adoption of DPPs.

In your EOI, please provide your name/position/association/email contact, indicate your expertise, and choose the ways to participate (multiple choice):

1. Participate as an active contributor in the working group to draft the White Paper (The group will typically have a one-hour meeting every two-three weeks from January to May 2025),
2. Participate as an observer in the working group to draft the White Paper,
3. Participate in research interviews, and
4. Any other ways that you think you can contribute.

Please refer for UN/CEFACT Critical Raw Materials project website (Get involved with the White Paper)

This is not a paid job.

Deadline to express your EOI is Friday 17 January 2025. Please email your EOI to the project lead Dr. Jie (Jeanne) Huang (Jeanne.huang@sydney.edu.au) and forward your email to her research assistant Raven Yang (raven.yang@sydney.edu.au).