WTO talks: Sharp divide over e-commerce duty moratorium as India opposes permanent extension

A sharp divide has emerged at the ongoing World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference in Cameroon over the continuation of the e-commerce moratorium on customs duties, think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said on Saturday, reported PTI.It noted that while the US is pushing for a permanent extension of the moratorium, India and several developing countries are opposing the move, citing concerns over revenue loss and policy constraints.“The sharpest divide is there over the e-commerce moratorium on customs duties. A temporary compromise of 2-4 years appears the most likely outcome,” GTRI said.The third day of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde is emerging as crucial, with discussions taking place across four key tracks — fisheries subsidies, investment facilitation, e-commerce and agriculture.On the China-led Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) pact, pressure on India is expected to intensify during small-group “green room” meetings, GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said.“India’s concern is less about the pact itself than the precedent it sets, opening the door to plurilateral deals that once embedded within the WTO, act as Trojan horses gradually reshaping the institution’s multilateral character,” he said.He added that limited progress is likely on fisheries subsidies as divisions among members continue to persist.“With tensions spanning digital trade, IFD and plurilateral agreements, today’s discussions are set to determine whether MC14 ends in a modest compromise or exposes deeper fractures within the WTO,” Srivastava said.