GENEVA (Reuters) – Colombia launched an appeal on Monday against a finding largely backing the European Union in a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute over import tariffs on frozen fries from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
The Geneva-based trade body said this would lead to the first proceedings before a multi-party arbitration system set up in response to United States’ crippling of the WTO’s own appeals body.
A WTO panel had earlier found that Colombia had made a series of errors in its determination that the EU frozen fries were being dumped.
Colombia imposed anti-dumping duties of between 3% and 8% on frozen fries in November 2018 after complaining that the prices of these imports were artificially low.
Although small in monetary terms – the EU as a whole exports just 19 million euros ($18.43 million) of frozen fries to Colombia per year – the dispute holds symbolic importance particularly for Belgium, which argues that it invented the “French” fry.
Don't miss out on any breaking news or insightful opinions!
Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay updated on the go!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
The duties affected 85% of EU exports of frozen fries to Colombia.
($1 = 1.0309 euros)
(Writing by Miranda Murray and Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Rachel More and Bernadette Baum)