China hails WTO ruling against EU duties on Chinese steel fasteners

%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20Ministry%20of%20Commerce%20%28MOC%29%20on%20Saturday%20welcomed%20the%20World%20Trade%20Organization%20ruling%20that%20the%20European%20Union%20%28EU%29%20is%20illegally%20taxing%20Chinese%20steel%20fasteners.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EIt%20is%20of%20great%20significance%20and%20will%20help%20Chinese%20enterprises%20enjoy%20better%20competitive%20conditions%20in%20the%20international%20market%20including%20the%20EU%2C%20said%20an%20unidentified%20official%20of%20the%20MOC%20Treaty%20and%20Law%20Department%20in%20a%20statement%20on%20its%20website.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3E%22This%20is%20not%20only%20a%20victory%20for%20Chinese%20industry%20but%20for%20the%20WTO%20rules%20as%20well%2C%22%20the%20official%20said.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20ruling%20has%20reinforced%20the%20confidence%20of%20WTO%20members%20in%20the%20WTO%20rules%20and%20the%20multilateral%20trading%20system%2C%20the%20official%20said.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20ruling%20from%20the%20WTO%27s%20appellate%20body%20on%20Friday%20said%20the%20EU%20isn%27t%20complying%20with%20international%20commerce%20rules%20by%20imposing%20anti-dumping%20duties%20on%20the%20fasteners%20from%20China.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20WTO%20ruled%20the%20EU%27s%20single%20duty%20requirements%20and%20practices%20are%20discriminatory%20and%20violated%20WTO%20rules.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EIt%20said%20the%20EU%20isn%27t%20calculating%20them%20fairly%20as%20it%20takes%20China%20as%20a%20single%20exporter%2C%20instead%20of%20treating%20the%20companies%20individually.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EFor%20a%20long%20time%2C%20the%20EU%20has%20been%20requiring%20Chinese%20exporters%20to%20prove%20they%20meet%20with%20the%20%22single%20duty%22%20requirements%20in%20responding%20to%20anti-dumping%20cases.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20EU%20imposed%20anti-dumping%20duties%20of%2026.5%20to%2085%20percent%20on%20fasteners%20from%20China%20for%20five%20years%20in%20January%202009.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChina%20is%20the%20world%27s%20biggest%20producer%20of%20screws%2C%20nuts%2C%20bolts%20and%20washers%2C%20while%20the%20EU%20is%20its%20major%20market.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20WTO%20set%20up%20an%20expert%20panel%20on%20Oct.%2023%2C%202009%20after%20China%20initiated%20the%20WTO%20case%20on%20July%2031%2C%202009%2C%20saying%20anti-dumping%20measures%20taken%20by%20the%20EU%20against%20the%20import%20of%20Chinese%20steel%20fasteners%20violated%20WTO%20trade%20rules.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20WTO%20ruled%20on%20Dec.%203%20last%20year%20that%20the%20EU%20anti-dumping%20duties%20are%20discriminatory%20and%20violate%20global%20commerce%20rules.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20EU%20appealed%20on%20March%2025%20this%20year.%20China%20appealed%20further%20on%20March%2030%20on%20the%20remaining%20problems%20that%20did%20not%20win%20support%20from%20the%20expert%20panel.%3CBR%3E%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E