India proposes to extend WTO e-commerce work program, omits moratorium

wto-intl

India on Tuesday proposed a decision for the World Trade Organization’s 13th ministerial conference that would extend the multilateral work program on e-commerce but, notably, would not also extend the moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions.

The “draft ministerial decision” from India, dated Jan. 23, says WTO members “agree to build on the progress since last Ministerial Conference and intensify the work under the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce ... particularly in line with its development dimension.”

“We instruct the General Council to hold periodic reviews based on the reports that may be submitted by the WTO bodies entrusted with the implementation of the Work Programme and report to the next session of the Ministerial Conference,” the proposal adds.

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