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e-commerce | digital economy

How fining Elon Musk’s X could threaten the US-EU trade deal
3-Sep-2025 The New York Times
The European Union is expected to penalize the company, which has been accused of breaching the Digital Services Act, a law President Trump has criticized.
Digital taxes put US-EU trade talks under pressure
2-Sep-2025 DW
Trump is now threatening retaliation over EU tech rules, shaking the bloc’s 15% tariff deal. Lacking China’s rare earths leverage, Brussels is scrambling for countermeasures — what cards can it still play?
AfCFTA | bank of Algeria joins PAPSS network as Algeria prepares to host Intra-African Trade Fair 2025
21-Aug-2025 BitcoinKE
Algeria now becomes the 18th country of presence for PAPSS, marking a significant step in advancing Africa’s journey towards deeper financial integration. Algeria’s accession to PAPSS comes at a moment when the nation prepares to host the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) from September 4-10 2025 in Algiers, Algeria.
Press Release: The UK-India CETA: for illusory gains in exports, India loses massive policy space to protect its health, data, and livelihoods
14-Aug-2025 Focus on the Global South
The Forum for Trade Justice condemns the UK-India CETA for allowing India to make severe concessions that undermine its ability to maintain public health safeguards, control digital data sovereignty, and protect domestic industries, while the promised export gains are minimal or illusory.
EU, CPTPP explore digital trade pact amid Trump policy shift
1-Aug-2025 Borderlex
European and Asia-Pacific leaders are eyeing a possible pan-continental agreement on digital trade as part of a rapprochement between the EU and the 12-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership.
US to investigate Brazil’s digital payment system
1-Aug-2025 Cointelegraph
As Brazil’s Pix system expands and BRICS eyes a reserve currency, Trump responds with a 50% tariff and a sweeping trade investigation.
Indonesia to allow personal data transfer to United States
24-Jul-2025 Antara
Indonesia has agreed to provide certainty regarding the transfer of personal data to the United States as part of broader efforts to remove barriers to digital trade.
Trade : AfCFTA launches digital customs platform to boost Intra-African Commerce
21-Jul-2025 Africa News Agency
On July 17, 2025, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) launched its long-awaited digital customs platform, designed to cut border processing times by 65%. The system integrates with national tax authorities across 15 initial member states.
India, EU resolve digital differences in free trade agreement talks
21-Jul-2025 Business Standard
India and the European Union (EU) have reached an in-principle agreement on the contentious digital trade chapter, marking a key step toward concluding a free trade agreement, though “substantial differences” remain over trade and sustainable development provisions.
Letter to USTR Greer from 11 orgs on digital trade rules on upcoming USMCA review
15-Jul-2025 Rethink Trade
We write today to urge you to oppose efforts by the largest Big Tech monopolists to use trade agreements and trade policy actions to internationally preempt and derail domestic policies that safeguard consumers, workers, farmers and competing businesses against Big Tech abuses here and in other countries.
Victory for Trump as EU backs down on digital taxes in next budget
15-Jul-2025 Politico
Shelving the plan could help EU persuade the US to give it a more favorable trade deal and comes just two months after the Commission suggested it.
Singapore and EFTA conclude talks on digital economy agreement
11-Jul-2025 Singapore Business Review
The agreement will allow the free flow of data across each other’s territories.
Trump’s tariffs and the Big Tech takeover
3-Jul-2025 Bot Populi
How are countries in the Global Majority world responding to the US’s sudden demand for trade (re)negotiations in the digital economy?
Analyzing the India-UK FTA: is India giving up its ‘digital sovereignty’ dream?
2-Jul-2025 Medianama
The India-UK FTA includes several trade liberalization measures, with a special emphasis on digital trade provisions. These provisions, while appearing to promote free trade principles like non-discrimination, have significant implications for India’s domestic digital policies aimed at maintaining regulatory control and supporting digital sovereignty.
Trump bullies Canada on behalf of Big Tech, workers continue to lose out
1-Jul-2025 Public Citizen
Canada announced that it would drop its 3 percent digital services tax on major technology companies after President Trump announced he would be “terminating” all trade discussions with Canada because of its digital tax.
Canada rescinds digital services tax after Trump suspends trade talks
30-Jun-2025 The Washington Post
Ottawa said Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump had agreed to resume negotiations on a trade agreement and would aim to reach a deal by July 21.
Statement on the voices of Thai civil society regarding the free trade agreement between Thailand and the European Union
24-Jun-2025 FTA Watch
Thai civil society organizations expressing serious concerns about the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Thailand and the European Union (EU), highlight potential negative impacts on agriculture, food security, environment, labor rights, public health, and other social issues.
Trading away tax sovereignty? How trade rules shape taxation of the digital economy in Africa
24-Jun-2025 Journal of International Economic Law
The advent of digital and data-driven business models has heightened the risks of tax base erosion and evasion, adversely affecting revenue generation, economic recovery, and advancement of tax justice in African economies. We develop a framework examining how trade rules on services, electronic transmissions, and digital products shape the ability of African countries to tax their digital economies.
No digital justice without fiscal justice
24-Jun-2025 Global Digital Justice Forum
An international digital trade regime should respect and enable the fiscal sovereignty of all countries, including the right to tax cross-border digital services.
AfCFTA & digital governance
19-Jun-2025 The US Kenya FTA insights
Africa’s AfCFTA quietly adopted a controversial digital trade protocol, mirroring outdated U.S. tech rules that risk undermining data sovereignty and regulatory power.