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EU statements at the Regular Dispute Settlement Body meeting of 25 July 2025

25.07.2025
Geneva
EU mission to the WTO in Geneva - Press and information team

Statements delivered by Mr Davide Grespan, Minister-Counsellor

AGENDA POINT 1: SURVEILLANCE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY THE DSB

 

1.2.    UNITED STATES – SECTION 110(5) OF THE US COPYRIGHT ACT: STATUS REPORT BY THE UNITED STATES (WT/DS160/24/ADD.237)

  • We thank the United States for its status report and its statement today.
  • We refer to our previous statements. We would like to resolve this case as soon as possible.

AGENDA POINT 1: SURVEILLANCE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY THE DSB

1.3.         EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES – MEASURES AFFECTING THE APPROVAL AND MARKETING OF BIOTECH PRODUCTS: STATUS REPORT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION (WT/DS291/37/ADD.200)

  • We recall that the EU approval system is not covered by the DSB’s recommendations and rulings.

  • On 4 July 2025, the Commission adopted the Decision authorising the placing on the market of GM soybean ([1]) for food and feed uses.

  • On 15 July 2025, the Commission presented for a vote to the Appeal Committee one decision authorising the placing on the market of GM maize DP51291. The vote taken during the meeting resulted in ‘no opinion’. The Commission will proceed with the next steps for regulatory approval.

AGENDA POINT 1: SURVEILLANCE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY THE DSB

1.7       EUROPEAN UNION AND CERTAIN MEMBER STATES – CERTAIN MEASURES CONCERNING PALM OIL AND OIL PALM CROP-BASED BIOFUELS: STATUS REPORT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION (WT/DS600/12)

  • The European Union is working on the implementation of the DSB recommendations and rulings in this dispute and is making its best efforts to complete the implementation before the expiry of the agreed reasonable period of time on 1 January 2026.
  • First, the European Union has already adopted Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996 of 14 June 2022 on rules to verify sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria and low indirect land-use change-risk criteria. This addresses the DSB recommendations and rulings relating to the design and implementation of the low Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) criteria and certification procedure.
  • Second, the European Union is preparing the necessary actions to secure the review of the data used to determine which biofuels are high-Indirect Land Use Change risk.
  • Third, work is currently ongoing to address the DSB recommendations and rulings relating to the French TIRIB (Taxe Incitative Relative à l'Incorporation de Biocarburant) as part of a larger legislative reform.

AGENDA POINT 2: APPELLATE BODY APPOINTMENTS

  • The European Union refers to its previous statements on this issue and thanks all Members that have co-sponsored the proposal to launch the appointment processes.

  • Since 11 December 2019, the WTO no longer guarantees access to a binding, two-tier, independent and impartial resolution of trade disputes. 

  • A fully functioning WTO dispute settlement system is crucial and a key priority. That is evidenced by the large number of Members co-sponsoring the present proposal relating to the appointment of members of the Appellate Body.

  • The EU remains committed to reforming the dispute settlement system so that it meets the interests of all Members and supports rules-based trade.

  • That said, despite the substantial work done by Members in dispute settlement reform discussions since MC12, it has now been more than 5 years that the system is not functioning fully.

  • Against this backdrop, the MPIA is ever more important as a stop-gap solution to preserve a fully functioning dispute settlement system among the willing Members.

  • We welcome the recent decision of the United Kingdom to join the MPIA. The MPIA now covers 57 WTO Members and over 57% of world trade.

  • While we continue to hope to find a long-lasting solution, we invite other Members to join the MPIA in the interim, to strengthen the multilateral trading order.

Re Ukraine/Russia

  • The EU reiterates its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter, and reaffirms its continued and unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. 

  • It also reconfirms the European Union’s unwavering commitment to providing continued political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.

  • We underscore the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, in full respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations

([1]) GM soybean MON 87705 × MON 87708 × MON 89788