Episode Details

Yaoundé WTO Ministerial Fails, Digital Tariff Ban Expires; Nations Shift to Plurilateral Deals

The World Trade Organizations ministerial meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon, ended without significant reforms or a renewal of the digital tariff ban. The US and Brazil clashed over the issue, leading to a deadlock. The US proposed a digital ban extension as part of broader reforms, but Brazil vetoed it due to revenue concerns and ignored farm issues. India also sank an investment pact for developing nations.

Frustrated with consensus rules allowing single blockers to stall progress, Western allies and others are turning to plurilateral deals—smaller coalitions making pacts outside the full WTO rulebook. The EU discussed a standalone digital trade alliance with the CPTPP bloc, while 66 countries have already implemented an e-commerce deal in their laws.

This shift signifies a move away from waiting for full WTO buy-in, with coalitions like South Korea and Chile vowing to push stalled investments plurilaterally.

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