WTO fails on major reforms, extends digital tariff ban in Abu Dhabi meeting

Director-General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks during the opening ceremony of the WTO ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. - Reuters

ABU DHABI, March 1 (Reuters): World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators failed to break a deadlock on major reforms on Friday despite talks extending deep into overtime in Abu Dhabi, in what some delegates said was a triumph of national interest over collective responsibility.

Talks ended early on Saturday after five days of negotiations which failed to see breakthroughs on agriculture, fisheries and other key topics. However, a moratorium on imposing tariffs on e-commerce data transmissions was extended by two years, in a relief to businesses.