ITPRO

Printed from www.itpro.co.uk

Register to receive our regular email newsletter at http://www.itpro.co.uk/reg/register.

The newsletter contains links to our latest IT news, product reviews, features and how-to guides, plus special offers and competitions.

Skip to navigation

    WTO review of technology import duty blocked by EU

The import levies on technology including monitors, scanners, printers and set-top boxes face scrutiny from the World Trade Organisation.

By Laura MacInnis, Reuters, 1 Sep 2008 at 08:28

EU Flag

The European Union has moved to block a World Trade Organisation (WTO) investigation into European import duties on consumer and business technology goods.

The US asked for a WTO panel to examine the tariffs the EU imposes on products that Washington believes should get duty-free treatment under the Information Technology Agreement reached in 1996. Hardware affected includes monitors and printers.

The EU invoked its right to block that first-time request for a panel, as is permitted under WTO rules. If the US submits a second request at the next Dispute Settlement Body meeting on 23 September the panel will be set up automatically.

In a statement, the EU said the products listed in the dispute were new and "objectively different" from the categories of high-tech goods enumerated in the 1996 accord. It argued that amendments to that list should be negotiated amongst the accord's 71 signatories.

The US estimates that worldwide exports of the products covered by the dispute, made by companies like HP and Canon total more than $70 billion (£39 billion).

Email to a friend

Print this page

< Previous   Strategy : News Next >

Be the first to comment on this article

You need to Login or Register to comment.

 Sponsored Links

advertisement
advertisement

    Register for IT PRO

You'll get exclusive member benefits including free whitepapers, downloads, Webinars and weekly newsletters full of the latest IT PRO news, reviews, insight and expertise.

Sponsored Links
Advertisement