Taiwan has high expectations for a complaint filed last year against the EU over its failure to eliminate import tariffs on certain high-tech products, Vice Economics Minister John Deng (鄧振中) said on Sunday.
In a telephone interview with the Central News Agency, Deng said Taiwan joined the US and Japan last June in filing a complaint with the WTO against the EU, claiming that the EU had failed to fulfill its commitment to remove import tariffs on certain high-tech products.
The products in question include flat-panel displays, set-top boxes with a communication function, “input or output units” and fax machines.
Deng said that in accordance with the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) that came into force in 1997, these products should be duty-free, but the EU and its member states are still imposing duties on them.
“The EU has reneged on its obligations and commitments as ITA signatories,” said Deng, who doubles as Taiwan’s top trade negotiator.
He said the complaint was intended to better protect the interests of Taiwanese manufacturers of high-tech products.
The WTO is scheduled to hold the first hearing on the matter between today and Thursday.
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