The World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Thursday that China has notified its Secretariat of a request for consultations with the European Union (EU) over a poultry meat tarrif quota dispute.

China said that the measures affect imports of certain poultry meat products from China and are inconsistent with the obligations of the EU under the relevant provisions of the WTO Agreements, claiming that the EU failed to negotiate or consult with it as required by the Agreements.

WTO noted this is China's 13th request for consultations since it joined the WTO, and its 4th complaint against measures adopted by the EU.

The EU signed up a quota assignment treaty with Brazil and Thailand on poultry meat products in 2012, which took effect in March 2013. The move is believed to have violated WTO rules.

The treaty dented the interests of Chinese poultry meat exporters and failed to ease concerns after China's repeated calls for proper settlement, according to Sun Jiwen, spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce of China.

China hoped that the dispute could be settled within the WTO mechanism to protect the interests of domestic market players, Sun added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2015)