Ecuador makes WTO arbitration in banana dispute irrevocable

Tholen - Ecuador retook its WTO procedure against the European banana import regime this week, which discriminates bananas proceeding from the dollar countries of Latin America, according to Ecuador. Bananas from ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) enjoy a preferential treatment and this is the point against which Ecuador is filing protest by means of WTO arbitration.

According to the EU however, the import tariff of 176 euro per MT which was implemented in January last year complies with earlier WTO decisions. According to the spokesman of EU agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, Michael Mann, the EU has done all the necessary to meet these demands. The EU regrets the choice of Ecuador to request arbitration, as the EU would have preferred to reach a solution through negotiation, but one does respect the Ecuadorian right to request arbitration. The dispute resolution commission of the WTO will meet on March 8 to discuss the formation of an arbitration panel.

Publication date: February 27 2007
Author: André van der Wiel
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