WTO Investigates EU Anti-Dumping Measures Against Chinese Shoes

The World Trade Organization 18 set up an expert group to investigate and decide whether the EU anti-dumping measures against China's leather shoes are against international trade rules.

The expert group was set up at the WTO dispute settlement body meeting held on the same day at the request of the Chinese delegation.

The Chinese delegation first made this request in April, but the EU group failed to set up the relevant procedures to prevent it.

At the meeting of the Chinese delegation in May 18th, the Chinese delegation reiterated that the EU anti-dumping measures seriously damaged the interests of China's leather shoes manufacturing industry and had adverse effects on the employment and livelihood of some 150 thousand shoe workers.

Regretfully, despite the many serious concerns expressed by the Chinese side to the EU on bilateral and multilateral occasions, this problem has never been solved.

In view of the fact that the EU's anti-dumping measures are seriously damaging the interests of the Chinese side, China has no choice but to request the WTO dispute settlement body to set up an expert group to decide the dispute again.

The expert group generally consists of 3 to 5 members with different nationalities recognized by the two sides of the dispute. They will take about 45 days to arrive.

The process of investigation should last for at least half a year, and the expert group will publish the investigation and award report.