SA’s citrus fight with EU is ‘not aggressive’, says govt after asking WTO to step in | Business

SA’s government has said an ongoing dispute with the European Union at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over citrus exports is rooted in science, and not meant to be confrontational.

This comes in the wake of news this week that SA South Africa asked the World Trade Organization to establish two panels to adjudicate disputes over its exports of citrus fruit to the EU. The request is SA’s first to date under the WTO’s dispute settlement system.

The regulations were established to prevent the spread of fungal disease, Citrus Black Spot (CBS), and false coddling moths (FCM), which damage the quality of the fruit.