31/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Chinese fasteners, EU calls for WTO ruling. On 25 March, the EU notified to the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) its decision to appeal the panel's decision regarding China's complaint against antidumping measures imposed by the 27 EU member states on Chinese exports of steel and iron fasteners (DS 397). The DSB, which had the matter referred to it by Beijing in July 2009, ruled against the antidumping measures adopted by the EU in January 2009 - antidumping duties lasting 5 years ranging from 26.5% to 85% on Chinese steel fasteners - concluding in its report that the EU had acted in a way that was “incompatible” with the antidumping agreement and with GATT of 1994, thus cancelling out or compromising the advantages resulting from these agreements for China. Beijing has therefore won its first victory at the WTO. (E.H./transl.jl)