U.S. requests WTO panel in challenge to EU high-technology tariffs

Bush Administration said on Monday that it has requested the World Trade Organization to establish a dispute settlement panel to settle its disputes with the European Union over high-technology tariffs.

"We regret that formal consultations have not been successful in resolving our concerns over the duties that the EU is imposing on several high-tech products," said U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab in a statement.

"The EU committed to bind and eliminate duties on ITA products in its WTO tariff schedules. We believe that these duties are inconsistent with the EU's commitments on these products, and that they discourage technological innovation in the IT sector," she said.

The EU in the past several years has adopted a series of measures that resulted in new duties on imports of specific high-tech products -- cable boxes that can access the internet, flat panel computer monitors, and certain computer printers that can also scan, fax and/or copy, said Bush Administration.

Global exports of these products were estimated at over 70 billion dollars in 2007.

Requesting a panel is the next step in the formal WTO dispute settlement process.

The U.S. requested WTO consultations with the EU on May 28, and consultations were held in late June and mid July. As consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the U.S. is requesting that a dispute settlement panel be established to determine whether the EU is acting consistently with its WTO obligations, according to a statement released by the U.S. government.

Japan and Taiwan also requested consultations with the EU on May 28 and June 12, respectively, and have joined the United States in requesting the establishment of a dispute settlement panel, said the statement.

The WTO Dispute Settlement Body will consider the joint request of the United States, Japan, and Taiwan for the establishment of a panel at its next meeting, on August 29.

Source:Xinhua