The EU had managed to block Ecuador’s request for the panel for two weeks but WTO rules prevent it from delaying the investigation a second time.

EU officials have criticised the move by Ecuador saying it goes against the spirit of negotiation, but the country’s trade representatives insist that its action does not preclude finding a negotiated settlement, just that it wanted to present its case to the WTO.

Ecuador claims the EU regime in force since January 2006 has cost it

$131 million (£67m), is discriminatory and has forced it to lose some of its market share in Europe.