The United States and 18 other World Trade Organisation members moved on Thursday (May 7) to create a separate pact pledging not to charge duties on electronic transmissions, after talks failed to break a deadlock with Brazil, according to a document.
The group includes the US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, Norway and Argentina. Under the agreement, the 19 members said they would not impose duties on electronic transmissions for an unspecified period.
The final text, dated May 7, said the pact would take effect on May 8 and expressed disappointment that the wider WTO moratorium had lapsed.
“Nonetheless, this group of Members remains committed to do what we can to provide to businesses and consumers a measure of predictability and certainty in the absence of the multilateral E-Commerce Moratorium,” the document said.
It also invited other WTO members to join the arrangement.
Brazil maintained its opposition to a four-year extension of the global WTO deal during talks in Geneva that ended on Thursday. Turkey, which had previously opposed the extension, withdrew its objection, a WTO spokesperson said.
