The global commerce organization in Geneva has reportedly confirmed that it had received the U.S. complaint, initiating a 60-day consultation period with the European Union, after which the U.S. can ask a WTO panel to rule on the dispute.

The tariffs, some as high as 14%, make the products less competitive in the European Union.

The complaint, also supported by the U.S. high-tech industry, reflects the Bush administration's assertion that the EU's tariffs violate a 1996 WTO agreement that supposedly eliminated duties on information technology equipment.

According to U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, "The EU is effectively taxing innovation. We wanted to make sure that the commitments to give duty-free treatment to these products would be maintained in the face of the evolution of technology."

The European Commission has reportedly said in a statement that it was willing to renegotiate the 1996 Information Technology Agreement to cover new products, but the United States has refused to do so.

"Both the spirit and explicit provisions in the ITA make it clear that extension to new products to reflect technological change would not be automatic, but based on periodic review by signatories," according to the EU commission.

According to the U.S. Trade Representative's office, U.S. officials had previously voiced objections with the EU concerning the tariffs several times over the past 20 months, but with no resolution to the problem.

Japan has also filed a complaint against the EU based on the tariff issue, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.