Brussels, 23/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 20 October, the WTO dispute settlement body established a panel to examine a complaint by the European Union regarding Russia's anti-dumping duties on light commercial vehicles from Germany and Italy (DS 479). South Korea, China, the United States, India and Japan have all reserved the right to participate as third parties.
At the meeting on Monday, the EU, which had to make a second request for a panel to be established after Russia rejected the first attempt, regretted that Moscow had shown no indication of wishing to withdraw the measures at issue. The EU continues to believe that the measures are not compatible with the WTO antidumping agreement. Russia, on the other hand, says that it is disappointed by the EU's lack of effort in trying to find a negotiated solution and remains persuaded that its measures are in line with WTO agreements.
The economic committee of the Eurasian Customs Union (Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia) took the decision in May 2013 to impose antidumping duties of 29.6% and 23% respectively on imports of light commercial vehicles from Germany and Italy. As Belarus and Kazakhstan are not WTO members, only Russia is involved in the WTO dispute. The vehicles concerned are light commercial vehicles (LCVs), weighing between 2.8 and 3.5 tonnes, van-type vehicles with diesel engines not exceeding 3000cc, designed to transport goods or goods and passengers.
In 2012, exports of LCVs from the EU to Russia were worth over €100 million, but they have fallen since September 2012 when Russia imposed a recycling tax on certain imported vehicles - a matter over which the EU has already challenged Russia at the WTO (DS 462). (EH)