WTO Set Up An Expert Group To Investigate Anti-Dumping Duties On Chinese Leather Shoes

　　世界贸易组织18日设立专家组，以调查并裁决欧盟对华皮鞋采取的反倾销措施是否违反国际贸易规则。该专家组是在当天召开的世贸组织争端解决机构会议上应中国代表团的再次要求而设立的。

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.