China takes EU to WTO

Beijing takes dispute over footwear duties to international trade body.

China has complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about anti-dumping duties that the EU has imposed on some imports of leather footwear from China and Vietnam.

The complaint will set in motion a consultative process under the aegis of the WTO, which supervises international trade. Consultations are the first step in the WTO’s trade-dispute settlement procedure.

The anti-dumping tariffs – 16.5% in the case of China and 10% for Vietnam – apply to leather shoes for adults. Children’s shoes and sports shoes are exempt.

The tariffs were introduced in 2006 and, at the recommendation of the European Commission, EU member states in December extended them for 15 months, starting in January.

This is only the second time that China has taken the EU to the WTO over anti-dumping measures. Last year, China initiated a procedure over EU anti-dumping tariffs on imports of iron and steel fasteners from China.

A spokesperson for the Commission said that it had “scrupulously followed the terms of the WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement and the applicable Community rules in that respect”.

He said that the measures had been taken in order to fight unfair trade practices and that there was “clear evidence” that Chinese products had been dumped on EU markets.