Brussels, 03/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Union is appealing against the verdict reached by a panel of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which authorises Peru to market its "sardines" without taking into account European regulations which define the commercial designation of this fish. According to experts, the Community regulation that dates from 1989 is incompatible with the agreement on technical trade barriers (TTB) adopted five years later by the founding members of the institution, because it does not conform to the "relevant" international standards fixed by the Codex Alimentarius (Codex Stan 94). These norms were only approved by a small number of countries and are also being reviewed, it is recalled in Brussels, where it is considered that the special group is mistaken on a series of legal issues and interpretations of the law. The European Commission mainly challenges the refusal of the panel to consider that national legislation is relevant regarding the question of consumer expectations. Such a reference could leave its mark well beyond the specific case of Peruvian sardinops sagax. Experts give priority to the international standard, considering this is strictly applicable to all markets, without taking local specific features into account, it is explained in Brussels. And, if one accepts the Peruvian reasoning, one can go as far as using the designation "sardine" that Europeans reserve for "sardine pilchardus" for many other species including anchovies and, why not, also herrings.