Updated 8:09 p.m. Moscow Time
BRUSSELS, September 15 (RIA Novosti) - The European Union will request setting up an arbitration panel at the World Trade Organization concerning Russia’s practice of imposing anti-dumping duties on light commercial vehicles (LCVs) from Germany and Italy, a EU source told RIA Novosti on Monday.
Exports of EU-produced vehicles weighing between 2.8 and 3.5 tons to Russia amounted to over 100 million euros ($137 million) in 2012, but have been decreasing since Moscow imposed a so-called "recycling fee" in September 2012 on cars, trucks, buses and other motor vehicles just days after joining the WTO.
"The EU has informed the WTO about its plans to request setting up an arbitration panel at the next session of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body on September 26," the source said.
On May 21, the European Union requested consultations, claiming that duties of 23 percent to 29.6 percent imposed by Russia on European LCVs were "significantly hampering access to the Russian market".
Talks were held on June 18, but the parties failed to resolve the dispute, the EU source told RIA Novosti.
According to WTO rules, the complaining party may request the establishment of an arbitration panel if consultations fail. The responding country has the right block the creation of a panel only once.
