EU appeals WTO ruling faulting its tariffs on Indonesian steel, effectively suspending the case due to frozen WTO appeals body
GENEVA: The European Union has appealed a World Trade Organization ruling that faulted its tariffs on Indonesian stainless steel products.
A Geneva-based trade official confirmed the appeal was filed on Monday regarding last month’s ruling by the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body.
The appeal effectively suspends the ruling indefinitely since the WTO’s appeals tribunal has been frozen since 2019.
Indonesia had requested a WTO panel in 2023 to examine EU countervailing and anti-dumping measures on its stainless-steel cold-rolled flat products.
Last month’s panel concluded the European Commission violated WTO subsidy rules and recommended Brussels bring its measures into compliance.
The EU argued it needed to appeal to address legal errors in the panel’s findings.
Washington blocked the appointment of new judges to the Appellate Body in December 2019, halting the WTO’s supreme court.
Countries can now block cases indefinitely by filing appeals into the non-functioning system.
Indonesia described the EU’s move as “appalling” according to the trade official.
The EU noted it had repeatedly invited Indonesia to join the alternative Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement.
Since Indonesia declined, the EU claimed it had no choice but to use the paralyzed Appellate Body. – AFP