BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) – The European Union yesterday made new proposals to end the five-year fight over banana imports, offering slightly lower tariffs for Latin American countries.

The European Commission yesterday proposed an euro187 (US$230) per ton duty on banana imports, down from the previous proposal of euro230 (US$283), which the World Trade Organisation rejected last month.

At the same time, the EU head office said it wanted to give former European colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific 775,000 tons of bananas which they can import without duties.

Latin American countries – including Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela – had successfully claimed that the earlier EU proposal would have had a “devastating effect” on the development of their economies. In reaction, the 25-nation EU lowered its proposal.

Latin American producers and banana companies based in the United States have long complained that EU rules favour Caribbean and African producers. The smaller producers say they risk getting squeezed out of the market.