The European Union has suspended its dispute against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over a de facto trade embargo against Lithuania, Politico has reported.
On Friday, the WTO circulated a note to its members saying the EU had requested to “immediately suspend its proceedings” with China.
“This is a procedural step taken for technical reasons related to the need to assess certain elements arising from the preparation of written submissions,” Olof Gill, the European Commission’s spokesperson, said on Saturday.
According to him, the panel is suspended “for the time being”. The case will be closed altogether if the suspension lasts longer than 12 months.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry told BNS that the EC represents Lithuania and the EU as a whole in this process and therefore “takes and interprets decisions on its own initiative within the framework of its competencies”.
Brussels formally launched its WTO dispute in early 2022 after Beijing imposed trade restrictions against Lithuania in late 2021 following the opening of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius.
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