Colombia has lifted all anti-dumping duties on frozen fries from the EU. This will allow exporters from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands to regain full access to the Colombian market. The measure affected around 85 per cent of European fries exports to the country, worth approximately €19.3 million annually.
The decision marks the end of a six-year trade dispute between the EU and Colombia within the World Trade Organisation. Earlier rulings found that Colombia's duties violated international trade rules.
Notably, this is the first case to be fully resolved through the MPIA, a temporary arbitration system set up to ensure dispute settlement within the WTO while the regular appeal body remains inactive.
For the European potato processing industry, the ruling represents a major breakthrough, restoring an important export market and reaffirming the importance of a well-functioning multilateral trading system.
Source: European Commission
