European Union lawmakers approved a voting reform that shifts power over decisions on import tariffs worth millions of euros away from national governments to EU institutions.

The move ends a year of divisive debate over whether to empower the executive European Commission at the expense of small EU member states and free-trade advocates such as the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.

The opposition of many European governments highlighted the smaller countries' reluctance to give up influence over EU trade policy, which helps shape relations between Europe and the rest of world and has an impact on employment in member states.

"The negotiations have not always been easy, but our main objectives have been met," said Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. "The new rules establish a system ... which will be simpler, more efficient, more transparent."

Under the reform, approved in a vote in the European Parliament, EU trade barriers against imports that are deemed to be dumped illegally on the European market will now be decided largely by the Commission alone.

Until now, so-called anti-dumping duties -- levied on goods ranging from U.S. biodiesel to Chinese shoes -- have been decided by a committee made up of national experts.

Each had one vote, regardless of their country's size or economic weight, and proposals for duties needed the support of a simple majority.

Countries' votes will now be weighted according to their size, and only opposition by countries which together have a majority of weighted votes will be able to block proposals to impose duties.

Voting reform was mandatory under the Lisbon treaty, which went into force last year to help make the EU function better, but small states reliant on imports mounted fierce resistance.

EU industry, which generally favours strict action against unfair competition from abroad, failed to prevent minor concessions to the small states such as keeping simple-majority voting on anti-dumping measures in force until late 2012.

"European industry is alarmed by the potential damage (of concessions) to the EU's ability to act against unfair trade," EU industrial sectors including chemicals, fertiliser, steel and textiles said in a statement dated Nov. 22.

The Commission's strict enforcement of anti-dumping measures is frequently criticised by free-trade advocates who say Europe needs cheap imports and complain that EU rules can be bent to serve protectionist goals. (Reuters)