WTO Talks Deadlock: Brazil Blocks E-commerce Duty Deal, US Seeks Permanent Extension

• WTO talks ended in deadlock as Brazil blocked an extension of the moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions.
• WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stated the e-commerce moratorium has expired, allowing countries to apply duties.
• The US sought a permanent extension, while Brazil initially proposed a two-year extension, later a four-year one with a review clause.
• Failure to reach a collective decision is seen as a "major setback for global trade" by Britain's Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle.
• Despite the deadlock, progress was made on drafting a plan for broader WTO reform, with further talks expected in Geneva.