(Reuters) - The European Union filed a suit against Argentina's import restrictions with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday, intensifying the disputes between the South American nation and its trading partners. The EU's executive Commission said the case followed measures byArgentina that include an import licensing regime and an obligation on companies to balance imports with exports.

(Reuters) - China launched a complaint at the World Trade Organization on Friday against U.S. import duties on 22 Chinese products that the United States says are unfairly priced or subsidized, including solar panels and steel products. "China firmly opposes the abuse of trade remedy measures and trade protectionism," China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

PARIS - Members countries of the World Trade Organization hope to adopt new rules aimed at easing entry for least developed countries, Canadian International Trade Minster Ed Fast said on Wednesday.“We’re hoping by the summer break that most of the work can be complete,” Fast said on the sidelines of an OECD ministerial meeting in Paris.“We’re talking about a revised system of rules under which LDCs could accede to the WTO,” the minister said.“Right now the LDCs complain that the standards that we’ve set are so high and the criteria we’ve set are so stringent it makes it ve

May 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine may decide to add emergency tariffs to car imports within days, a move that would be unjustifiable under World Trade Organization rules, Japan's delegation to the trade body said in a statement published on Thursday. Ukraine, which is preparing to co-host the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, is already under international pressure because of its jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko after a trial the European Union says was politically motivated.

After, earlier this month, the European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht had foreseen the possibility of a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the European Union in 2014, the US Trade Representative Ron Kirk provided his view on US-EU trade policy during a recent speech in London.

(Reuters) - European Union leaders, advised by senior officials to prepare contingency plans in caseGreece decides to quit the single currency, urged the country to stay the course on austerity and complete the reforms demanded under its bailout program. After nearly six hours of talks held during an informal dinner, leaders said they were committed to Greece remaining in the euro zone, but it had to stick to its side of the bargain too, a commitment that will mean a heavy cost for Greeks.

SHANGHAI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese machinery chamber on Thursday announced that it has organized 14 of the country's solar panel companies to cope with an antidumping investigation launched by the United States. Shi Yonghong, deputy chief of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery of Electronic Products (CCCME), said four leading manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) products also formed an alliance on Thursday to jointly work on the investigation.

(Reuters) - The tobacco industry is providing legal advice to Ukraine and Honduras in their challenges to Australia's new tobacco packaging rules at the World Trade Organization, Australian Health Secretary Jane Halton said on Tuesday. "We know that the tobacco companies, because they have admitted it, are providing legal advice to WTO members in order to encourage them to take action against Australia," she said.

COLOMBO, May 17 (Xinhua)-- Trouble is brewing in Sri Lanka's tea industry with planters and exporters at odds over liberalizing imports to expand the country's highest foreign exchange earning crop, an official said here on Thursday. Government policy aims to double current exports to 20 billion U.S dollars by 2020 for which tea exports have to grow from the current 1.5 billion U.S. dollars to 5 billion U.S. dollars. For this the Plantations Ministry has been tasked with evaluating the establishment of a tea hub in Sri Lanka.

WELLINGTON, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government will launch a new platform Friday to boost private business opportunities for the country's growing population of immigrant entrepreneurs. Minister for Ethnic Affairs Judith Collins said Thursday that the Ethnic People in Commerce New Zealand (EPIC NZ) Conference in Auckland would focus on ways to support and tap into the potential of small and medium-sized ethnic businesses.