2023-12-20 17:06:20
The plurilateral negotiations at the WTO on electronic commerce have reached a “substantial conclusion” on several rules, with a view to finalizing the discussions in 2024, declared on Wednesday the three countries co-organizing these discussions, Australia, the Japan and Singapore.
“This is an important step,” they stressed.
Some 90 member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO), representing 90% of world trade, including the United States, the European Union and China, are participating in these negotiations launched in 2019.
“We, the co-organizers, together with the participating (countries), are pleased to announce the substantial conclusion of negotiations on a number of global rules relating to digital commerce that will facilitate electronic transactions (…) and promote an economic open and trustworthy digital technology,” they said.
According to their statement, the countries reached conclusions in “three main areas: digital trade facilitation, open digital environment and business and consumer trust.”
But they still have to negotiate on certain issues, including customs duties on “electronic transmissions, (…) electronic payments and information and communications technology (ICT) products using cryptography”, with aims to conclude the negotiations in 2024.
“Agreement on a broad range of rules on digital trade at the WTO will facilitate digital trade for consumers and businesses, in particular MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises, editor’s note), and promote digital transformation,” underlined the European Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, quoted in the press release.
“The European Union hopes to achieve a positive outcome on outstanding issues by early 2024, notably on the non-imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions and on taking into account (…) the challenges of implementation challenges facing developing countries,” he added.
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