Tech New Zealand has joined a global tech alliance in urging the World Trade Organization (WTO) to maintain and make permanent its long-standing moratorium that prevents countries from applying customs duties to electronic transmissions.
TNZ is one of the signatories to the report Benefits of a Permanent WTO Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions and WTO Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, which was shared with the WTO this month.
Why this matters: the moratorium helps keep the delivery of digital products and services across borders low-friction and cost-effective. If countries introduce tariffs on electronic transmissions, it could increase costs for businesses and customers, and create new barriers for New Zealand companies exporting software, digital services and other digitally delivered offerings.
The WTO’s Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions has been renewed at every ministerial meeting since it was introduced in 1998. The report calls on WTO Members to adopt a standing commitment not to impose duties on electronic transmissions, helping keep international digital trade settings predictable.
The moratorium supports the ability to transfer digital content and deliver digital services across borders, enabling knowledge sharing and access to new market opportunities, including for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It also provides the regulatory certainty needed for long-term digital investment, innovation, and cross-border integration.
Electronic transmissions are increasingly central to modern supply chains across manufacturing and services. The report notes that predictable digital trade settings can support economic diversification, broader growth, and a stronger tax base over time.