BRAZIL BLOCKS DEAL ON E-COMMERCE DUTIES – A moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions was to be extended
World Trade Organisation talks ended deadlocked early today as Brazil blocked a bid by the U.S. and other countries to extend a moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions, dealing a fresh blow to the trade body.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the e-commerce moratorium had expired, meaning countries could apply duties on electronic goods such as digital downloads and streaming. But she said the WTO hoped to be able to restore the moratorium and that Brazil and the U.S. were trying to reach an agreement on it.
Expectations had been low going into the meeting, but failure to even agree on an extension to the e-commerce moratorium was a serious setback to the WTO, which has been struggling to remain relevant as countries increasingly work around it.
The marathon talks at the meeting in Cameroon did make progress on drafting a plan for broader reform of the organisation, though agreements are still pending.
WTO talks would continue in Geneva, said the conference chair, Cameroon Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana. They are expected to be in May, WTO officials said.
