WTO requirements and Europe stop on Taiwan and other places of high technology products tax

The World Trade Organization on 16 August announced its verdict result, considered that the EU's imports from China, Taiwan and the United States, Japan's flat panel displays, multi-function printer and set-top box and other tariffs, in contravention of the WTO agreement on information technology products (ITA). Requirements for EU compliance with international regulations, stop on the product collection high tariffs.

United States, Japan and Taiwan region of China to the WTO earlier, that the European Union on the third party are exported to the EU's TV set-top boxes, Tablet PC display and multi-function printer taxation contrary to WTO information technology agreement-related provisions.

United States, believes that the EU's approach is to use the tariff means combating technology innovation. According to statistics, in 2007, the United States these products global exports more than 70 billion; the EU believes that some characteristics of multifunctional electronic products has does not apply to this Protocol, such as Tablet PC monitor should be classified as a video monitor, which monitors can also be used to play a DVD disc.

The WTO after consideration of the decisions made. The Japanese side immediately responded that the WTO's ruling welcomed and urged the EU to immediately cancel the relevant tariff; United States trade representative, it is considered a "United States achieved a major victory." The representative also expressed: WTO decision reaffirms the principle that technology development is not to be a breach of the agreement and tariffs.

The EU has not decided whether to appeal against the ruling. For the WTO ruling, the EU has 60 days to appeal.

WTO 1996 the information technology agreement aimed at phasing out among its members a range of information technology products-tariff, to encourage trade in high-technology products. But with the ever-changing information technology, information technology products in the past and today may have evolved to the mass consumer electronic products, makes the agreement covering product blurring, causing controversy.

To this end, the World Trade Organization (WTO) in up to 704-page ruling file also pointed out that the Organization support the Protocol review and amendment.