As leaders of various countries set aside their differences to sign a historic pact at the World Trade Organization’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), Big Tech companies, technology policy and business advocacy groups across the world also heaved a sigh of relief. Among other things, the WTO has agreed to extend by two years a moratorium on zero customs duty on electronic transmissions, until the next WTO ministerial conference. India’s stand on calling for an end to the moratorium has kept everyone on edge.
Against this background, Sanjay Notani, Senior Partner at Economic Laws Practice (ELP) has been quoted by The Economic Times in their article titled ‘At WTO, Tech Policy Changes Take a Break’. He says, “Any duty would disproportionately impact the Indian IT industry given its leadership position. Further, once duty on electronic commerce is allowed, it may lead to a slippery slope with Members adopting other measures that may act as a barrier to trade.”
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