WTO Dispute Panel Agrees to Review EU Import Tariffs on Indonesian Biodiesel

JAKARTA, Nov 28 (Reuters) – The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute settlement body has agreed to set up a panel to review countervailing duties imposed by the European Union (EU) on biodiesel imports from Indonesia, the World Trade Organization said late on Monday. .

In August, Indonesia requested WTO dispute consultations with the European Union over tariffs on biodiesel imports from the Southeast Asian country.

However, after the consultation failed to reach an agreement, the world’s largest palm oil producer last month requested the WTO to establish a dispute settlement system, which the EU rejected.

„Efforts are more strategic to appeal to the WTO to increase market access for Indonesian biodiesel products in the EU market, which is currently subject to countervailing duties of 8% to 18%,” said Budi Santoso, a senior official at the Indonesian Trade Ministry. tuesday

The counter duties were imposed for five years from December 10, 2019 to December 10, 2024, Budi added.

The Indonesian Biofuels Producers Association said the duties were burdensome for Indonesian biodiesel exporters and hoped the WTO panel would start proceedings immediately, panel chairman Paulus Tjakrawan told Reuters.

The WTO said late Monday that the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, the Russian Federation, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Canada, China, Argentina and Turkey had reserved their third-party rights to participate in the panel proceedings.

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