GENEVA: The European Union on Monday requested authorisation at the World Trade Organisation to impose counter-measures to compensate for US customs duties on Spanish olive imports.

The request was filed at a meeting of the WTO`s Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) after Washington challenged `the amount of retaliation proposed by the EU ($35 million annually)`, a Geneva-based trade official said.

The EU request for DSB authorisation to impose counter-measures on imports from the United States is intended `to compensate for the US`s failure to comply with an earlier panel ruling faulting US antidumping and countervailing duties on ripe olives from Spain`, the source said.-AFP