Brussels, 29/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is examining Brazil's trade practices with regard to imports of reconditioned types in the light of the regulation on trade obstacles. The issue may be taken to the dispute regulation panel of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. It originates with a complaint by the European tyre industry against a Brazilians law (Number 8 of 25/09/2000) preventing the import of reconditioned tyres by banning the granting of import licences for reconditioned tyres imported as consumer goods or raw materials, along with a presidential decree (Number 3919 of 14/09/2001) whereby a fine of up to 120 euros per tyre is levied on the import, sale, transport, storage or holding of imported reconditioned tyres. Bipaver, representing national tyre associations from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the UK, stresses the discriminatory nature of these laws and the adverse impact they have on EU exports, which have slumped. The Commission publishes further details in Official Journal C3 and invites interested parties to come forward.