BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — The E.U. biodiesel industry on May 25 expressed its full support to the E.U. appeal lodged at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the Argentinean biodiesel export case. The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) said it is confident that the WTO appellate body will conclude that E.U. anti-dumping duties are in full conformity with WTO rules. 

EBB said it welcomes the appeal lodged by the E.U. on May 20 against some specific parts of the WTO panel’s ruling regarding the E.U. anti-dumping measures on Argentinean biodiesel imports. 


Although the first instance panel’s ruling confirmed that the cost-adjustment possibility contained in the basic E.U. anti-dumping regulation was not in itself inconsistent with WTO rules, it also considered that the methodology applied by the E.U. Commission to correct the massive distortions caused by the Argentinean Differential Export Taxes (DETs) system was not WTO-compatible, the EBB said. 

With this appeal, the E.U. confirms its commitment to act against the distortive effects of protectionist measures (DETs), like the DETs mechanism, which influence international trading conditions and raise important problems for E.U. industries, such as the E.U. biodiesel industry, the EBB said. 

The cost-adjustment methodology used by the commission in this case, allowing the imposition of anti-dumping measures at levels fully reflecting the distortive effects of the DETs, is not only of vital importance for the E.U. biodiesel industry but is also essential for all the industries around the world which are severely suffering from the distortions of unfair DETs mechanisms, the EBB said. 

EBB said it remains committed, in this next stage, to actively defend its market from the harmful effects of the DETs. It also remains committed to act on all fronts, notably by continuing vigorously to defend its interests before the E.U. Courts.