WTO Extends Customs Duties Moratorium for Another Two Years

In a last minute breakthrough, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has tentatively agreed tonight, 1 March 2024, the extension of the moratorium on customs duties for another two years. This decision, reached at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, means that all WTO members will refrain from imposing tariffs on electronic transmission until at least early 2026.

The extension of the customs duties moratorium comes as a relief to businesses worldwide. By maintaining the status quo of duty-free digital trade, the WTO has paved the way for continued innovation, entrepreneurship, and accessibility in the digital sphere. This extension not only bolsters e-commerce but also encourages inclusivity, allowing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to thrive in the global marketplace.

Having attended the 13^th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, Sabina Ciofu, techUK Associate Director for International Trade, said:

"We welcome the extension of the WTO moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions. This decision reaffirms the commitment of the WTO to fostering an open and interconnected digital landscape. The extension promotes innovation, facilitates digital trade, and stimulates economic growth, allowing SMEs access to global markets and providing consumers with a wide choice of innovative products and services. As we embrace this hard-won milestone, we’ll continue to work with WTO members and industry organizations from around the world towards a permanent moratorium for a more prosperous and interconnected world, where barriers to trade are minimized and opportunities for innovation are maximized.”

Further analysis on the outcomes of MC13 the implications for the sector will be published in due time. For more information about our trade policy work, techUK members can reach out to [email protected].

Authors

Sabina Ciofu

Associate Director – International, techUK

Sabina Ciofu is Associate Director – International, running the International Policy and Trade Programme at techUK.

Based in Brussels, she leads our EU policy and engagement. She is also our lead on international trade policy, with a focus on digital trade chapter in FTAs, regulatory cooperation as well as broader engagement with the G7, G20, WTO and OECD.

As a transatlanticist at heart, Sabina is a GMF Marshall Memorial fellow and issue-lead on the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, within DigitalEurope.

Previously, she worked as Policy Advisor to a Member of the European Parliament for almost a decade, where she specialised in tech regulation, international trade and EU-US relations.

Sabina loves building communities and bringing people together. She is the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club and co-organiser of the Young Professionals in Digital Policy. Previously, as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, she led several youth civic engagement and gender equality projects.

She sits on the Advisory Board of the University College London European Institute, Café Transatlantique, a network of women in transatlantic technology policy and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club designed for women.

Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.

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