26  June 2008

Request for WTO Dispute-Settlement Consultations on

EU Imposition of Tariffs on ITA Products

Etsuhiko Shoyama
Chairman
Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)

Katsuhiko Machida
President
Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association

Michiyoshi Mazuka
Chairman
Communications and Information Network Association of Japan

The Japanese and US governments have jointly requested WTO dispute settlement consultations with the European Union (EU) regarding duties that the EU is imposing on certain products that Japan and the US claim should be duty-free under the WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA).

The Japanese electrical and electronic industries regard the ITA as a critically important instrument in promoting a global information society. In relation to this particular matter, we have been strongly urging our government to press the EU to eliminate its tariffs on IT products, and we will continue to extend our full cooperation to the government. 

The ITA stipulation that “Each party’s trade regime should evolve in a manner that enhances market access opportunities for information technology products” commits the EU as an ITA member to remove tariffs on IT products. Our industry accordingly wishes to see the EU’s tariff measures eliminated as soon as possible pursuant to consultations under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.

* The Information Technology Agreement (ITA) comprises an agreement among 29 countries and regions at the WTO Ministerial Conference held in Singapore in December 1996 to eliminate tariffs on IT products (computers and peripheral devices, telecommunications devices, semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing machinery, etc.) by 2000. As at May 2008, ITA membership had grown to include 71 countries and regions.