The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has given final approval to the European Union and six other trading powers to hit the United States with trade sanctions in a row over an illegal anti-dumping law. The case involves the so-called Byrd amendment, which redistributes anti-dumping duties to the US companies that allege dumping, or the selling of products abroad at less than the market price in the domestic market. The WTO has said repeatedly that the amendment breaks trade rules, and had imposed a deadline of December 27, 2003, for Washington to repeal the legislation. Despite the go-ahead, the countries involved have indicated that they will not enforce sanctions immediately.
