In the tussle over Colombian tariffs on frozen french fries from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, the EU says it has won a final victory. World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitrators have finally confirmed that the tariffs imposed by the South American country violate WTO rules and unjustifiably restrict access to the Colombian market, the EU Commission in Brussels announced on Wednesday.
The decision is a victory for European producers and affects exports of frozen French fries worth more than 20 million euros a year. According to EU information, Colombia must now align its customs rules with the verdict of the arbitrators. If the country refuses, the EU can seek permission to impose retaliatory tariffs.