ON THIS PAGE:   Key facts   Summary of the dispute to date

home > trade topics > dispute settlement > the disputes >

DISPUTE SETTLEMENT: DISPUTE DS376

European Communities and its Member States — Tariff Treatment of Certain Information Technology Products

This summary has been prepared by the Secretariat under its own responsibility. The summary is for general information only and is not intended to affect the rights and obligations of Members.

See also:
> The basics: how disputes are settled in WTO
> Computer based training on dispute settlement
> Text of the Dispute Settlement Understanding

Key facts  back to top

Summary of the dispute to date  back to top

Summary up-to-date at

Consultations requested — no panel established nor settlement notified

Complaint by Japan.

On 28 May 2008, Japan requested consultations with the European Communities and its member States with respect to their tariff treatment of certain information technology products.

Japan claims that the tariff treatment the European Communities and its member States accord to certain information technology products does not respect their commitments to provide duty-free treatment for these products under the Information Technology Agreement (ITA). According to Japan, the European Communities and its member States now impose duties on these products contrary to their scheduled duty-free tariff concessions arising from the ITA.

Japan asserts that a number of EC customs classification legal instruments, alone or in combination with Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff, including all annexes thereto, as amended, appear to be inconsistent with the EC's and its member States' obligations under Article II:1(a) and II:1(b) of the GATT 1994 and their Schedules, and therefore nullify or impair benefits accruing to Japan under the GATT 1994.

> Problems viewing this page?
Please contact webmaster@wto.org giving details of the operating system and web browser you are using.