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The purpose of this paper is to take stock and explain most of the IT- and ecommerce- related WTO issues. It provides a historical overview of the WTO's role with regard to e-commerce and IT trade between 1995 and 2003 and provides the contextual background to the complex set of existing rules, categories and debates. Its aim is to inform the representatives of developing nations, civil society, and others who want or need to understand more about the WTO's role in Information Technology governance and policy. Three key questions are addressed throughout the paper: How has the WTO approached e-commerce so far, and what results have been achieved? How can e-commerce be deconstructed into "baskets" of IT goods and services to clarify the issues at stake? How are the interests of developing nations included and addressed in the WTO's current approach to e-commerce?