US Edition
WTO Members Try to Close Gap Between US, India on E-Commerce Tariff Moratorium
India signals willingness to accept a two-year extension for e-commerce tariff moratorium amid U.S. insistence on a permanent ban, testing WTO's role in global digital trade.
- Late Friday, India signaled it may drop opposition to extending the WTO e-commerce moratorium, indicating it would agree to a two-year prolongation during meetings in Yaounde.
- For nearly three decades, the e-commerce moratorium has relied on temporary extensions; Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had previously stated the issue warranted "careful reconsideration."
- Trade Representative Jamieson Greer emphasized that Washington seeks a permanent extension to provide stability for tech businesses like Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple, rejecting short-term solutions.
- Diplomats described the U.S. as "frustrated" by organizational hurdles in Yaounde, while Greer argued that bilateral deals are part of a "new order" for WTO reform.
- Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described extending the moratorium as "existential" for WTO relevance, as 66 members have already agreed to enforce baseline digital trade rules.
15 Articles
15 Articles
WTO talks near deal on reform road map amid US-India e-commerce deadlock
YAOUNDE: Trade ministers are close to agreeing on a reform plan for the World Trade Organization (WTO), as wrangling continues over extending a moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions s
World Trade Organization reform negotiations entered a stalemate on their final day, amid sharp disagreements between the United States and India over extending the suspension of tariffs on e-commerce...
Times of India
The Economic TimesIndia signals shift on ecommerce tariff moratorium, balks at US push for permanent extension
India signalled it may accept a two-year extension of the WTO moratorium on tariffs for electronic transmissions, despite earlier opposition. The US prefers a permanent ban, while members seek compromise. Business leaders stress predictability, warning duties could disrupt digital trade, as positions remain apart ahead of the Yaounde meeting.
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