China Welcomes WTO Shoe Tariff Ruling

China has welcomed the findings of the World Trade Organisation's Dispute Settlement Body that the European Union's application of anti-dumping duties contravened trade law, in a recent judgment partially in favour of the nation.

The Panel said that the European Union had incorrectly applied calculating methodologies, in contravention of WTO clauses, upon placing anti-dumping duties on the import of Chinese-made shoes.

The Panel requested that the European Union take into account the ruling when applying anti-dumping duties in future, but did not require action to be taken by the trade bloc as the anti-dumping duties in question expired earlier this year.

The case related to EU anti-dumping duties on shoes imported from China and Vietnam. The anti-dumping duties ranged from 9.7% to 16.5% in the case of China, and 10% in the case of Vietnam, and were first imposed in October 2006 following an investigation confirming the existence of dumping and injury to EU producers. The duties - aimed at preventing Chinese and Vietnamese producers from selling their goods to the EU market below cost-price - were reinstated on December 22, 2009, for a period of 15 months.

November 2, 2011

Source: Tax News