WTO MC: Members intensify talks on ecommerce duty moratorium extension at Yaounde

Member countries intensified efforts to resolve differences over further extension of the moratorium on e-commerce customs duties on the final day of the 14th Ministerial Conference at Yaounde, Cameroon, sources said.

While some countries oppose an extension or favour a two-year period, the US is pushing for a longer duration.

The four-day 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) entered the last day on March 29 in the capital city of Cameroon.


India has on multiple occasions opposed the extension. It was last extended for two years in the MC13, which was held in 2024 in Abu Dhabi. The moratorium or ban will end this month.

The World Trade Organisation members have agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions such as digital downloads and streaming since 1998 and the moratorium has been periodically extended at successive ministerial conferences.

India is opposing the move as the country is witnessing a rise in imports of electronic transmissions, mainly of items like movies, music, video games and printed matter, some of which could fall within the scope of the moratorium.

There are revenue implications as a result. According to estimates, the potential tariff revenue losses for developing countries are about USD 10 billion per year. For India, it could be over $500 million every year.

The decision has implications for companies such as Amazon and Netflix in the US.

Sources said that talks are going on in Yaounde on the issue.

While the profits and revenues of digital players are rising steadily, the ability of governments to check these imports and generate additional tariff revenues is being limited because of the moratorium.