COVID-19 and Regulatory Innovations in South Asia

COVID-19 and Regulatory Innovations in South Asia

Partner: SAARC – SCCI

Timeframe: April, 2022 – Dec, 2022

Introduction: COVID-19 Pandemic has undermined economic development across the world especially in South Asia. At the cost of slowing down economic activities via lockdowns and social distancing, the pandemic has paved the way for a novel approach in e-commerce to

sustain business transactions amid its spillover across the globe. However, business regulatory regimes’ obstruction and lack of intra-regional connectivity keep the South Asian countries at bay from the digital market arena. Therefore, a comprehensive study is required to assess business regulatory hurdles faced by firms regarding e-commerce and offer promising regulatory interventions that enable e-commerce ecosystem, which ensures intra-regional connectivity, trade, and regional economic development in South Asia.

Thus, this study is an attempt to make a critical assessment of regulatory regime intervention around e-commerce in South Asia, and how firms could adopt to the e-commerce regulations to compete in digital markets across the regions amid COVID-19. In addition, this study analyses job potentials in digital economy.

Objectives: The study aims to:

• Conduct a descriptive analysis of COVID-19 and e-commerce trends in SAARC countries,

• Suggest E-commerce regulatory reforms in South Asia,

• Carry out descriptive analysis of business regulatory regime in SAARC countries,

• Conduct an empirical assessment of e-commerce impact on job opportunities as well as business enterprises, i.e. sales growth.

Activities: Desk Study, Literature Review, World Bank Enterprise Survey Data, Regression Analysis, Final Report.

Team: Dr. Fareeha Adil, Mr. Naimut Ullah, Ms. Huzaima Quddus