Brussels, 28/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - With its final verdict on Thursday on the row over bananas that has gone on for several years between the Union and nine Latin American countries (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela), WTO arbitrators rejected the European Commission's proposal of 12 September on the proposed new import tariff for bananas of 187 euro/tonne (together with a tariff quota of 775,000 tonnes at zero tariff for ACP countries) considering this is too high and that it would prevent Latin American exporters from having equitable access to the European market. The proposal came in the wake of a first Commission proposal on a customs duty of 230 euro/tonne already refused by the WTO on 1 August this year. The WTO dispute settlement panel also rejected the import duty-free quota of 775,000 tonnes for ACP bananas. In a press release, European Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel expressed surprise and disappointment at the WTO decision, announcing that the Commission will closely analysis the implications of this verdict. It remains to be seen whether the Commission will seek to negotiate extension of the current quota regime for ACP countries to reach a negotiated solution, or whether the Union will seek to push through. The dossier may come up again at the ministerial meeting in Hong Kong this December.