February 1, 2019

Ottawa consults before start of WTO negotiations on electronic commerce

Seventy-five members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have announced this week the start of formal WTO talks to establish global rules for e-commerce.

Global Affairs Canada points out that, while e-commerce has been discussed at the WTO since 1998, the only concrete outcome to date has been the commitment to not impose customs duties on electronic transmissions, a commitment that must be renewed at each WTO ministerial conference, which occurs every two years.

The Government of Canada is now seeking input from stakeholders to on the WTO negotiations on e-commerce. Although the scope of these has yet to be determined, stakeholder input at this early stage will prove useful in identifying Canadian positions, interests, and sensitivities.

All interested parties are invited to complete a survey or submit their input by April 25, 2019.

Link: Consultations on potential future World Trade Organization negotiations on electronic commerce