The panel said that the EU had imposed the duties on flat-panel displays, multifunction printers and television set-top boxes in violation of the WTO's Information Technology Agreement (ITA).
The European Commission had already criticised the ruling before it was published, repeating its view that negotiations on a comprehensive revision of the agreement were preferable to litigation on some aspects of it.
"The report does not establish general principles that would imply any form of generalised conclusions," it said in a statement. "No decision on a possible appeal to the WTO report is taken yet."
U.S. and Asian electronics producers, including Hewlett-Packard Co and Samsung Electronics, are keenly awaiting any sign that the EU might appeal the WTO panel's findings. The EU has 60 days to appeal.
The ITA agreement, which is voluntary, abolished tariffs among about 70 countries on products such as computer screens and printers to foster trade in high-tech goods.
But the European Union argued that added functionality since the agreement was reached in 1996 which meant that some products were now consumer goods rather than information technology, and so were not entitled to the zero tariffs under the deal.
For instance, it said flat-panel computer displays could also now serve as television screens.
Brussels subsequently imposed duties ranging from 6 to 14 percent on the products, $11 billion of which the EU imported from all suppliers in 2007. (Reuters)
