In a workshop held on May 15, members the the World Trade Organization (WTO) discussed the moratorium on the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions. The WTO moratorium has exempted data flows from cross-border tariffs since 1998.
The meeting included private sector perspectives. Four private sector representatives from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America underlined the importance of maintaining the moratorium during the workshop. The private sector speakers suggested that allowing the moratorium to lapse would destabilize the digital trade environment and disproportionately impact small enterprises by raising costs.
During the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Abu Dhabi in early 2024, WTO members had agreed to maintain the current practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions until Ministerial Conference MC14 or 31 March 2026, whichever is earlier.
Concluding the meeting, the facilitator, Ambassador Richard Brown of Jamaica, said the discussion will help members consider how to move forward on the issue in preparation for MC14. The facilitator said he will hold bilateral consultations and convene a mid-year stocktaking meeting.
