The World Trade Organisation is expected to play a limited role in shaping global trade policy following a failed ministerial meeting in Cameroon, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Monday, pledging to pursue alternative arrangements with like-minded countries.
In a statement issued nearly 24 hours after the meeting ended in deadlock, Greer expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of seriousness among many WTO member states in adopting a broadly acceptable reform agenda.
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The talks collapsed after Brazil and Turkey blocked an extension of the e-commerce moratorium.
“I have always been skeptical of the value of the WTO, and this week’s conference confirmed that this organisation will play only a limited role in future global trade policy efforts,” said Greer, who has been the architect of President Donald Trump’s multi-front tariff assault on global trading partners.
Greer said that he was disappointed that the e-commerce moratorium on tariffs on digital transmissions had to lapse after being routinely extended for 28 years.
“Fortunately, the United States has secured commitments from dozens of countries and nearly all of our major trading partners not to impose tariffs on U.S. digital transmissions,” Greer added.
“If the WTO cannot achieve this common sense aim, the United States will work outside of the WTO with all interested partners to get it done.”
NAN
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