Potato Wars: Colombia To Appeal WTO Ruling On European Potato Imports

The World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel issued a final report on the process concerning Colombia’s imposition of anti-dumping duties on imports of frozen potatoes from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. WTO declared that Colombia does not comply with some provisions of the WTO Anti-dumping Agreement, by imposing duties on imports of these products.

Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña Mendoza stated the government will appeal the decision to the appropriate bodies as it does not agree with some elements of the report. He reiterated that Colombia adopted the measure in accordance with the provisions of the WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement. Minister Umaña then assured that the process is still open, and the anti-dumping measure will be maintained.

“By maintaining the anti-dumping duties, we guarantee the Colombian productive sector the application of trade defense measures that allow for balanced competition on equal terms with the imported product. Our objective is to ensure a framework of fair competition between products coming from abroad and domestic producers,” said Minister Umaña.

In November 2018, Colombia implemented these anti-dumping taxes of up to 8% on frozen potato fries from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, after claiming that the prices of these imports were unduly low.

But the next year, in 2019, the European Union filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization against Colombia over these duties, complaining that the action was wholly unfair and detrimental to European businesses. The complaint then requested that a WTO panel provide a decision.

A trade agreement between the EU and Colombia has been in effect since 2013. Exports of frozen fries from the three Member States to Colombia amounted to €23 million in 2016, according to WTO

Above photo: Fried Colombian criollo potatoes (photo: Loren Moss)