WTO June meet: India not likely to create a hurdle on e-com moratorium

India may not create a big issue out of the proposed extension of the moratorium on Customs duty on electronic transmissions at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) crucial meeting scheduled from June 12. At present, under the WTO moratorium, countries do not impose Customs duty on cross-border e-commerce transactions.

Developing countries, including India, have been battling for policy space to impose Customs duties on electronic transmissions. They said that the moratorium has adversely impacted revenue collections.  

“The moratorium has been going on for 24 years since 1998. We calculated and the revenue loss is a small amount. We have become such a