Le commerce électronique à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce les Membres parviendront-ils à trouver un terrain d’entente lors de la 14e Conférence ministérielle ?

This research paper by Rashid S. Kaukab analyzes the divisions among World Trade Organization (WTO) members regarding the regulation of e-commerce ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). It examines the tension between the multilateral Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and the plurilateral Joint Statement Initiative, focusing on the contentious moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions and the challenges faced by developing countries in bridging the digital divide.

• The WTO manages e-commerce through two parallel tracks: a multilateral path centered on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and the customs duties moratorium, and a plurilateral path via the Joint Statement Initiative on electronic commerce.
• The multilateral Work Programme, established in 1998, serves as a forum for all WTO members to discuss digital trade, with a recent focus on reducing the digital divide and improving developing countries' participation in the digital economy.
• There is significant disagreement over the moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions. Developing countries argue it causes loss of customs revenue and lacks a clear multilateral definition of 'electronic transmissions', while supporters claim duties would increase costs for consumers and fragment global markets.
• At the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in 2024, members agreed to extend the moratorium and the Work Programme until March 31, 2026, or the MC14, explicitly stating that both would expire at that date.
• The Joint Statement Initiative, involving 91 members and co-organized by Australia, Japan, and Singapore, produced a stabilized legal text for an E-commerce Agreement in July 2024. This agreement includes a permanent ban on customs duties for electronic transmissions between parties, subject to review after five years.
• Opposing proposals have been submitted for MC14 regarding the moratorium: Barbados (for the ACP Group) proposes extending the moratorium to the next conference and revitalizing the Work Programme, while the United States and several other nations propose making the moratorium permanent with a broad definition of electronic transmissions.
• A key issue for MC14 is whether the E-commerce Agreement from the Joint Statement Initiative can be incorporated into the WTO framework as a plurilateral agreement under Annex 4, though some members have blocked the necessary consensus.

APA

Kaukab, R. S. (n.d.). Le commerce électronique à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce les Membres parviendront-ils à trouver un terrain d’entente lors de la 14e Conférence ministérielle ? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/e-commerce-wto-mc14

Chicago

Kaukab, Rashid S. Le commerce électronique à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce les Membres parviendront-ils à trouver un terrain d’entente lors de la 14e Conférence ministérielle ? International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/e-commerce-wto-mc14.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kaukab |first1=Rashid S. |title=Le commerce électronique à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce les Membres parviendront-ils à trouver un terrain d’entente lors de la 14e Conférence ministérielle ? |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/e-commerce-wto-mc14 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kaukabndcommerce, author = {Kaukab, Rashid S.}, title = {{Le commerce électronique à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce les Membres parviendront-ils à trouver un terrain d’entente lors de la 14e Conférence ministérielle ?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/e-commerce-wto-mc14}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }