US, EU, and Japan file case against China over rare earths
MAR 14, 2012
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.025937
BBC : The US, Japan, and the European Union have challenged China’s restrictions on rare-earth exports in the first case ever filed jointly by the three entities at the World Trade Organization; the complaint follows a WTO finding earlier this year that China had illegally restricted exports of other materials used in industrial and electronics manufacturing. Trade officials argue that by limiting exports, China has inflated rare-earth prices. Chinese government officials have stated that the export limits are intended to prevent environmental damage from excessive mining, and that its management of rare earths is within WTO rules. The case is the first step in a process that could lead to sanctions against China if an agreement can’t be reached.
© 2012 American Institute of Physics
