Negotiators Conclude First Round of Talks on E-Commerce Deal at WTO
World Trade Organization members engaging in e-commerce negotiations carried out the first review of text on the topic during Jan. 29 to Feb. 2 talks, the WTO announced. Australia's James Baxter, chair of the 2024 plenary meetings, said that the progress achieved at the negotiations shows that an agreement can be completed "in the next few months."
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Japan's Atsuyuki Oike said the negotiations must address placeholders in the document, which include development issues. "We are of the view that we need to accelerate the negotiations on those topics so that we can incorporate those articles in the next version of the Chair's text," he said.
During the meetings, small groups considered "e-payments and cryptography," while the talks' co-convenors carried out consultations with members on "the development proposal," the WTO said. Discussions also ramped up on "legal and horizontal issues," focusing on topics including the "final provisions of the agreement, the horizontal provisions included in the Chair's text, exceptions and scope carve outs."
Agreement was reached on various "horizontal issues," including the preamble text, definitions, scope provisions, relation to other agreements, general financial and security exceptions, dispute settlement elements and provisions on the "proposed e-commerce committee," the WTO said. Previously "parked" items, such as customs duties and telecommunications services, also were discussed. The next meetings will be held March 11-14.