Industry Groups Urge WTO Members to Extend Moratorium on E-Transmission Customs Duties

Trade associations and industry groups urged World Trade Organization members to extend the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. In a "Global Industry Statement," ahead of the Nov. 30-Dec. 3 12th Ministerial Conference, 73 groups said that allowing the moratorium to expire would amount to a "historic setback for the WTO," due to its role in allowing the digital economy to grow. The groups urged an extension until the next conference. The moratorium is key to the COVID-19 recovery, as the cross-border exchange of knowledge, COVID technical expertise, and scientific and commercial information across transnational IT networks, "as well as access to digital tools and global market opportunities have helped sustain economies, expand education, and raise global living standards," the statement said.

"Continuation of the Moratorium is also important to supply chain resilience for manufacturing and services industries in the COVID-19 era," the statement continued. "Manufacturers -- both large and small, and across a range of industrial sectors -- rely on the constant flow of research, design, and process data and software to enable their production flows and supply chains for critical products. The Moratorium is particularly beneficial to Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), whose ability to access and leverage digital tools has allowed them to stay in business amidst physical restrictions and lockdowns."