India to oppose WTO freeze on e-com duties

‘Need policy space for digital progress’

India will strongly oppose continuation of moratorium on customs duties on e-commerce trade at the WTO’s meeting in Geneva next month as it was adversely impacting developing countries, an official said.

The official said allowing the moratorium to lapse was important for developing nations to preserve policy space for their digital advancement, to regulate imports and generate revenue via customs duties.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) members had agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions since 1998 and the moratorium had been periodically extended at successive ministerial conferences (MC), which is the highest decision making body of the 164-member organisation.