20/12/2019 (Agence Europe) – On 19 December, the European Commission announced that it had finalised the selection of the expert panel to rule on the dispute between the EU and Seoul over non-trade provisions in their free trade agreement. The EU considers that its Korean partner is not respecting its commitments with respect to the rights of workers under the sustainable development chapter of their free trade agreement. Therefore, the Commission initiated formal consultations with Seoul a year ago (see EUROPE 12290/13). The panel will be officially established on 30 December 2019 and is expected to deliver its report by the end of March 2020. On the eve of a controversial parliamentary vote on the trade agreements with Vietnam (see EUROPE 12394/21), the European Commission wants to prove that its mechanism for dispute resolution without sanctions can prove its worth. (HD)