{"id":116145,"date":"2026-03-20T16:13:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T15:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.digitalbusiness.africa\/moratoire-sur-le-commerce-a-lomc-donald-trump-pousse-linde-bloque-yaounde-devient-le-ring-du-commerce-mondial\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T16:24:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T15:24:48","slug":"wto-e-commerce-moratorium-donald-trump-pushes-india-blocks-yaounde-becomes-the-ring-of-global-trade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalbusiness.africa\/en\/wto-e-commerce-moratorium-donald-trump-pushes-india-blocks-yaounde-becomes-the-ring-of-global-trade\/","title":{"rendered":"WTO E-commerce Moratorium: Donald Trump pushes, India blocks. Yaound\u00e9 becomes the ring of global trade"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Digital Business Africa] \u2013<\/strong> As the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14<\/a>) in Yaound\u00e9 approaches, tensions are rising around a central issue: whether to maintain the moratorium on customs duties applied to electronic transmissions, in force since 1998.<\/p>\n

The United States and a wide group of countries \u2014 including Singapore, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Australia, and several Latin American nations \u2014 are officially proposing to keep the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. They want to extend it, or even make it permanent.<\/p>\n

India, for its part, is firmly opposed.<\/p>\n

And the outcome of this standoff could determine the future of global digital trade\u2026 and that of the WTO itself.<\/p>\n

Washington wants a tariff-free global Internet<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In an official communication dated 17 March 2026, the United States and its partners state:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions has played an important role in the development of the digital economy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They therefore call for maintaining the moratorium, defining electronic transmissions as: \u201cany transmission made using electromagnetic means, including its content.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The moratorium is Washington\u2019s top priority in Yaound\u00e9.<\/p>\n

U.S. Ambassador Joseph Barloon summed it up as follows: Maintaining the moratorium would give the United States the confidence to \u201cremain fully engaged\u201d in the WTO.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A diplomat quoted by Reuters warned:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Jamieson Greer (the 20th United States Trade Representative (USTR)) leaves Yaound\u00e9 without a moratorium, U.S. proclamations about the death of the WTO will grow even louder.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Trump was already pushing this vision in October 2025<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As early as October 2025, Donald Trump announced his intention to establish \u201ca global digital economy free of tariffs and taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Bloomberg, his administration had already secured commitments from Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand to support the WTO moratorium.<\/p>\n

Washington was even seeking to make it permanent to lock in a global digital order aligned with U.S. interests and the dominance of major tech companies.<\/p>\n

India says no: firm, reasoned, and strategic opposition<\/strong><\/h4>\n

While South Africa\u2019s position remains unclear, India has confirmed that it will oppose any permanent extension of the moratorium.<\/p>\n

An Indian representative, quoted in the minutes of a WTO meeting on December 2, stated:
\n\u201cWe do not support the extension of the moratorium. The development of e-commerce should not be confused with the supposed benefits of the moratorium. The cost of the moratorium is almost entirely borne by developing countries that are net importers of digital products, while its benefits accrue to a few developed countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

For New Delhi, the moratorium deprives developing countries of crucial tax revenues, as physical goods shift to digital formats.<\/p>\n

India insists:<\/p>\n

\u201cA reconsideration of the moratorium is essential to preserve policy space and achieve domestic industrialization.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And it is not just saying no.<\/p>\n

It is proposing concrete actions:<\/p>\n