Trade Groups Around the World Call for Trade Facilitation Upgrades

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Information Technology Industry Council and 25 other trade groups, including groups from Africa, Asia, South America and Europe, have issued a position paper on what they'd like to see in the plurilateral E-Commerce Agreement at the World Trade Organization. The U.S. and China are both in these talks, and some are concerned that China will oppose what business groups describe as high-standard planks, such as prohibiting data localization and no restrictions on cross-border data flows.

In addition to proposals that would only affect digital goods, the groups say that there is "significant room for improvement" even after the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, particularly in raising de minimis levels and establishing informal clearance thresholds. "Trade facilitation provisions should focus on enabling low-value shipments by promoting expedited clearance, reducing the number of declaration elements, and allowing for the electronic submission of documents," the position paper said. The paper was released Oct. 7. "Governments should also agree to strengthen softer (i.e., “best-endeavor”) TFA commitments on a most-favored nation basis to simplify customs clearance for low-value shipments."