European Union has requested WTO dispute consultations with China concerning alleged Chinese restrictions on the import and export of goods, and the supply of services, to and from Lithuania or with a link to Lithuania. The request was circulated to WTO members on January 31, 2022.
The European Union claims the challenged measures are inconsistent with a number of provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, the General Agreement on Trade in Services, the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and the Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Further information is available in document WT/DS610/1
What is a request for consultations?
The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.