Big Take Your Streaming Subscription Could Be the Next Trade Battlefield
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Mar 13, 2026 
Brendan Murray, Bloomberg’s global trade editor who covers international trade policy and digital services, breaks down why digital services are the next big trade battleground. He explains the looming WTO decision on e-transmissions, why countries want digital taxes, the U.S.-EU clash over internet rules, and how AI and data sovereignty are reshaping global tariffs and enforcement.
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U.S. Uses Section 301 To Threaten Digital Measures
- The U.S. launched a Section 301 investigation to prepare tools that could target foreign taxes on U.S. digital services.
- That authority would let the USTR impose tariffs not only on goods but also on services and investment viewed as unfairly treated.
WTO Moratorium On E‑Commerce Is Ending
- The WTO moratorium kept customs duties off electronic transmissions but is set to expire, forcing members to decide its future at the Cameroon meeting.
- Brendan Murray says the moratorium was renewed biennially but members agreed it would sunset, creating a policy gap for $4.5–5 trillion in digital trade.
Venmo Example Shows Invisible Cross‑Border Transactions
- Brendan Murray gives a Venmo example where a UK user sends money to US-based Venmo, illustrating how services cross borders without physical presence.
- He contrasts that with the old model where companies needed a local branch to serve customers abroad.