EU governments have agreed to amend the Union’s banana import regime following the World Trade Organisation’s ruling…

Date: 22/04/1999

...that the system still breaks trade rules, despite a series of modifications last year. Acting Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan said this week that the EU had decided not to appeal against the ruling because 12 out of 15 member states were opposed to such a challenge. The WTO this week approved US plans to impose sanctions on EU exports worth 180 million until the Union falls into line with WTO rules. The EU will, however, contest a US bid to backdate the sanctions to 3 March.