Brussels, 02/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - After Canada and Japan, the Union and Mexico each announced on Tuesday that they had made requests in Geneva last week to take part in WTO talks as “third parties” regarding the American complaint against piracy and counterfeiting in China (see EUROPE 9408 and 9409). Brussels and Mexico also stepped up international pressure on Beijing. “This is a case of great importance. We have thus asked to be third parties. We will watch developments in these consultations with great interest”, the spokesman for Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, Peter Power, explained to Dow Jones. He went on to explain that it was “too early to speculate” on the possibility that the EU27 will address their own complaint or join US action at the WTO. In line with WTO rules, the consultation phase launched two weeks ago in the context of the US complaint will last 60 days. (eh)