US to seek new trade deals as WTO e-commerce pact lapses
Trade talks in Cameroon ended without renewing a long-standing ban on e-commerce duties. The US now plans to seek digital trade deals outside the WTO framework.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has faced a significant setback after member nations failed to reach an agreement on a reform path or the extension of a long-standing e-commerce duty moratorium. The collapse of talks in Cameroon has prompted the United States to vow to seek alternative trade deals with like-minded partners, potentially relegating the global body to a more limited role in future international trade policy.
Four days of intensive negotiations among trade ministers in the capital of Yaounde concluded without a resolution after Brazil and Turkey blocked a bid to extend the moratorium on digital downloads and streaming. This marks the first time in 28 years that the agreement, established during the early days of the internet, has been allowed to lapse.
