Taiwan joins U.S. fight over EU electronics duties

The Consumer Electronics Association on Wednesday lauded Taiwan for filing a WTO complaint over tariffs the European Union imposes on technology products.

Taiwan joins the United States and Japan, which filed complaints late last month, alleging the EU's refusal to remove duties on computer monitors, cable converter boxes and printers violates the WTO's Information Technology Agreement.

The European Union is harming innovation and stifling decades of progress on trade, said Michael Petricone, CEA senior vice president of government affairs, in a statement. These actions hurt U.S. and Taiwanese companies, European consumers as well as technology firms across the globe.

We are hopeful that we can resolve these issues with the EU through constructive dialogue led by the WTO, and we applaud Taiwan for seeking consultations to remedy the situation.  Through the ITA, signed in 1996, 70 WTO member countries have agreed to eliminate customs duties on more than 97 percent of world trade in information technology products, including hardware, software, components, semiconductors and equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. 

Source: American Shipper