India Shows Willingness to Extend WTO E-Commerce Moratorium Timeline
India signals flexibility on WTO e-commerce moratorium timeline: Goyal
Business Standard
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At the World Trade Organisation’s 14th ministerial conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, India indicated a potential shift in its position regarding the moratorium on e-commerce tariffs. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal expressed openness to a longer extension to enhance business predictability, amidst ongoing discussions among member nations.
- 01India is considering a longer timeline for the WTO e-commerce moratorium.
- 02Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized the need for business predictability.
- 03The 14th ministerial conference in Cameroon ended without a consensus.
- 04The US is advocating for a permanent moratorium, while India prefers a temporary extension.
- 05Discussions on the moratorium will continue at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.
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India has signaled a potential softening of its position on the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) moratorium on e-commerce tariffs during the 14th ministerial conference held in Yaounde, Cameroon, from March 26 to 30. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India is open to a 'longer' timeline for the moratorium to provide businesses with greater predictability. This stance reflects India's ongoing discussions with other countries, aiming to finalize the timeline within the next couple of months. The conference concluded without a ministerial declaration due to a lack of consensus on key issues, including the contentious e-commerce moratorium. Currently, under the WTO moratorium, member countries do not impose customs duties on cross-border electronic transmissions, a practice that has been extended every two years for nearly three decades. While India has resisted a long-term moratorium due to concerns over revenue loss, many developed nations, including the United States, are pushing for its permanence. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has expressed that a temporary extension would not provide the necessary certainty for businesses and has indicated that the US may pursue plurilateral agreements outside the WTO framework. Goyal has suggested that any future plurilateral agreements should include 'guardrails' to ensure they align with broader WTO reforms.
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A longer moratorium could enhance predictability for Indian businesses engaged in e-commerce, potentially impacting their operational planning and revenue.
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