Brussels/Geneva, 03/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has just started arbitration procedures to check the legality of the European system for protecting brands and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. The USA and Australia, whose second panel request has automatically been ratified on Thursday in Geneva, is accusing the Union of discriminatory practices to their own products in the framework of a system that lacks transparency. In the ensuring legal-trade battle, the duo is demanding the same guarantees for "Florida oranges" as those granted to cheese from Roquefort in Europe. The plaintiffs argue that many infringements to the international code of trade have been committed and have referred to the provisions of the OTC agreements and technical barriers to trade TRIPS on aspects of intellectual property rights affecting trade and/or GATT of 1994, as well as the Convention of Paris on brands. They are particularly critical of the Community system of "reducing legal protection" set out for all brands and all nationalities on an international scale and of not immediately and without conditions" extending the advantages, favours and privileges that European products enjoy, to their competitors from third countries which are therefore being deprived of "not less favourable treatment" which they deserve.