The World Trade Organisation is set to rule that the EU is still illegally protecting banana exports from the Caribbean and Africa – but there is no prospect of this long running dispute being solved swiftly.
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A WTO official told just-food today (8 February) that a formal ruling from a WTO disputes panel could be expected in March but, for it to bite, the winning country – here the US – would have to ask permission to “take retaliatory measures”.
Such measures are usually duties designed to compensate the winning country for trade losses – the US is fighting the EU because of its extensive interests in Latin American banana production.
However, the official said the EU would “have time to remove its illegal measures”. Given Brussels is already reforming its banana import regime, another round of WTO disputes and hearings over this long running dispute are likely.
The US ruling follows a similar WTO decision based on a claim brought by Ecuador.
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