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Colombia imposed anti-dumping duties of between 3% and 8% on
frozen fries for two years in November 2018 after complaining
that the prices of these imports were artificially low.
Although small in monetary terms - the EU as a whole exports
just 19 million euros ($20.9 million) of frozen fries to
Colombia per year - the dispute is big in symbolism particularly
for Belgium, which argues that it invented the "French" fry.
The duties affect 85% of EU exports of frozen fries to Colombia.
The duties breached WTO law in terms of substance and because of
the procedure to put them in place, the European Commission
said.
"Despite numerous interventions with Colombia to lift the
unjustified measures, we have not received a satisfactory
response," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a
statement.
The first step in a WTO dispute is a 60-day period of
consultations. If these do not resolve the issue, the
complainant can ask for a WTO panel to adjudicate.
The EU and Colombia have had a trade deal in place since 2013.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Marine Strauss and
Frances Kerry)
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