India, South Africa: WTO e-commerce moratorium restricts tariff revenue, industrialization

India and South Africa this week doubled down on their opposition to the World Trade Organization moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions, arguing in Geneva that it prevents developing countries from utilizing electronic commerce tariffs in the same way developed members, like the U.S., have used tariffs for other industries. There are two different interpretations of the moratorium, according to a WTO submission from India and South Africa that was made public this week. One is that it…