BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Friday welcomed ruling from the World Trade Organization (WTO) that the European Union (EU) anti-dumping duties on Chinese screws and bolts were discriminatory and are in violation of global commerce rules.

For a long time, the EU has been requiring Chinese exporters to prove they meet with the "single duty" requirements when they are responding to anti-dumping cases, bringing a heavy burden and unfair treatment to Chinese companies, said an official with the MOC.

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In particular the WTO ruled the EU's single duty requirements and practices are discriminatory and violated WTO rules.

China urged the EU to respect the WTO ruling and rid itself of codes or practices that go against WTO rules and treat Chinese exporters fairly to ensure normal trade between China and the EU, the official said.

At the beginning of 2009, the EU decided to impose anti-dumping duties of up to 87 percent for the next five years on fasteners imported from China.

The WTO set up an expert panel on Oct 23, 2009 after China initiated the WTO case on July 31, 2009, saying anti-dumping measures taken by the EU against the import of Chinese steel fasteners violated WTO trade rules.