Tech industry says ending WTO moratorium on e-commerce tariffs will hurt the economy, wants cross-border data exemption

  • The end of a 1998 moratorium on e-commerce tariffs could hit cross-border data flows for services like music streaming and financial transactions
  • India said developing countries have born the cost of the moratorium, but the EU, US and global tech industry say ending it could hurt economic recovery

The WTO is weighing the end of a moratorium on e-commerce tariffs that could result in tariffs for digital goods. Photo: Shutterstock

The global technology industry is pressing the World Trade Organization to exempt data flows from cross-border tariffs, saying a failure to do so would undermine a global recovery already threatened by spiralling prices.

The WTO’s 164 members presented their views on the topic on Wednesday as negotiations at the ministerial conference ran into overtime amid growing pessimism about deals.

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