India Urges Exclusion Of Digitised Goods From WTO Tariff Moratorium

New Delhi, Mar 18 (KNN) India is urging the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to exclude all digitised goods, including e-books, e-music, and video games, from the moratorium on customs duties for e-transmissions, a policy that has been receiving temporary extensions since 1998.

Sources indicate that India insists on discussing the scope and definition of this moratorium at the WTO's general council, reported Businessline.

During the 13th WTO ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, India agreed to a two-year extension of the moratorium. However, it suggested that further extensions should only be considered once there's agreement on the moratorium's scope, its definition, and its developmental implications.

The country aims to continue this discussion at the WTO general council, as revealed by an official.

The moratorium, initially introduced to promote e-commerce during the WTO's second Ministerial Conference in 1998, has led to significant revenue loss for developing countries.

According to calculations by UN officials, developing countries have missed out on USD 48 billion in potential tariff revenue, with least developed countries (LDCs) facing a loss of USD 7.8 billion during the period of 2017-2020.

India, along with other developing nations like South Africa, has been advocating for a revaluation of the moratorium's scope. They argue that the global e-commerce landscape has undergone significant changes since its introduction, with many physical goods now digitised.

They argue that the global e-commerce landscape has undergone significant changes since its introduction, with many physical goods now digitised.

New Delhi emphasises that discussions on the moratorium's scope should occur at the WTO general council to ensure agreement on its coverage before the current extension expires.

(KNN Bureau)

New Delhi, Mar 18 (KNN) India is urging the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to exclude all digitised goods, including e-books, e-music, and video games, from the moratorium on customs duties for e-transmissions, a policy that has been receiving temporary extensions since 1998.

Sources indicate that India insists on discussing the scope and definition of this moratorium at the WTO's general council, reported Businessline.

During the 13th WTO ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, India agreed to a two-year extension of the moratorium. However, it suggested that further extensions should only be considered once there's agreement on the moratorium's scope, its definition, and its developmental implications.

The country aims to continue this discussion at the WTO general council, as revealed by an official.

The moratorium, initially introduced to promote e-commerce during the WTO's second Ministerial Conference in 1998, has led to significant revenue loss for developing countries.

According to calculations by UN officials, developing countries have missed out on USD 48 billion in potential tariff revenue, with least developed countries (LDCs) facing a loss of USD 7.8 billion during the period of 2017-2020.

India, along with other developing nations like South Africa, has been advocating for a revaluation of the moratorium's scope. They argue that the global e-commerce landscape has undergone significant changes since its introduction, with many physical goods now digitised.

They argue that the global e-commerce landscape has undergone significant changes since its introduction, with many physical goods now digitised.

New Delhi emphasises that discussions on the moratorium's scope should occur at the WTO general council to ensure agreement on its coverage before the current extension expires.

(KNN Bureau)