The ESA Joins Global Call to Uphold Decades-long Pact Against Duties on Cross-border Data Flows

As governments meet in Geneva from June 12-15 for the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ESA and more than 100 global associations issued a statement supporting the extension of one of the WTO’s fundamental agreements facilitating international trade. Every two years since 1998 at the biennial conference, WTO members have agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions. This moratorium covers a wide variety of services provided in transactions via software, emails and text messages, including the complex digital transmissions used to provide innovative video games.  Amid threats to dismantle this fundamental agreement, the ESA joins global industries in a letter urging governments convening in Geneva to renew their commitment not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions.