The World Trade Organization (WTO) formally set up an expert group on the 18 day to investigate and determine the relevant provisions of the basic law of the EU anti-dumping and whether the EU anti-dumping measures against Chinese leather shoes are in violation of international trade rules.

The Ministry of Commerce's law enforcement division said on 19 th that the EU's anti-dumping investigations and rulings against Chinese leather shoes violated the relevant rules of WTO and damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. China hopes that the EU can attach great importance to China's strong concern and solve the problem at an early date under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.

The official stressed that the Chinese government had made representations on many bilateral occasions for the EU's anti-dumping measures against China's leather shoes. The Chinese industry also expressed strong opposition. However, these bilateral dialogues have never solved the concerns of the Chinese side. In April 8th, the Chinese government sent a letter to the chairman of the WTO dispute settlement body (DSB) through the permanent WTO delegation to set up an expert group's request on China's anti EU anti-dumping measures against China's leather shoes.

From 1955 to 2005, the EU imposed quota restrictions on China's export leather shoes for up to ten years. In October 2006, the EU decided to implement anti-dumping measures for Chinese leather shoes for two years. In October 2008, the EU launched a final review in spite of the interests of consumers and China's opposition. In December 22, 2009, it decided to extend the anti-dumping measures for another 15 months.