WTO to authorise banana sanctions

19 April 1999

WTO to authorise banana sanctions

THE World Trade Organisation (WTO) is to authorise the US to proceed with nearly $200m in trade sanctions against the European Union (EU) in the dispute over bananas.

The WTO has told the EU to change its banana import regime, ruling that it discriminates against Latin American producers and US distributors.

Washington had long claimed that the regime, which favours bananas from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, was against WTO rules.