Brussels, 22/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - Argentina has decided to go to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to protest against the European Union, after Spain blocked its imports of biodiesel product outside Europe, the Argentinean minister for foreign affairs said on Saturday 18 August. The Spanish government had said last April that it would limit the import of Argentinean biodiesel in retaliation for the nationalisation up to 51% of the oil company YPF, at that time controlled by the Spanish company Repsol at 57.4%. According to Argentina, Spain's decision “in fact prevents the import of extra-Community biodiesel, which closes the market to the Argentinean product - the most competitive in the world”.
The Argentinean minister recalls that “the main suppliers of biofuels to Spain and to the EU are the developing countries.” “It is a question here of a measure which - following the example of others, taken for decades within the EU and other developed countries - has as a consequence the prevention or limitation of development of our industries, and confines our developing countries to the role of raw materials' suppliers”, he said (our translation throughout). Argentina, the third global exporter of soya, last year exported 1.6 million tonnes of biofuels for around $2 billion. (LC/transl.fl)