GENEVA -- Nine World Trade Organization members led by Japan and the European Union on Thursday filed a complaint with the WTO's dispute-settlement body over a new U.S. antidumping law that many say violates international trade pacts.

The Byrd Amendment allows antidumping tariffs collected by U.S. authorities to be distributed to domestic industries.

Some sources voiced hope the issue would be settled in the initial consultation process.

"We know (U.S. President Bill) Clinton was reluctant to sign the law," one trade source said. "We hope the new U.S. administration (under President-elect George W. Bush) will be realistic in their response."

That remains doubtful. The bill was pushed by Republican lawmakers, and the new administration is Republican.

The Clinton administration opposed the Byrd Amendment because of its WTO violations but was forced to sign it as part of a wide-ranging budget package.

The number of cocomplainants is the largest since the dispute-settlement mechanism took effect under the Geneva-based WTO in 1996.

The other complainants are Australia, Brazil, Chile, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand. One Asian diplomat explained that it was a "matter of principle" to sign on and not leave the matter to two major trade powers.

Japan and the EU sought to bring in as many countries as possible to send a message to the U.S. that "countries from a diverse area were clearly opposed to the Byrd Amendment," a trade source said.

Another said he was satisfied with the number of initial complainants and expects more to join in as the dispute proceeds from consultation to a trade-dispute panel.

In Tokyo on Friday, Takeo Hiranuma, the international trade and industry minister, said the joint action by nine countries points to the Byrd Amendment's "problematic nature."

Japan and the EU maintain that the amendment violates WTO agreements on antidumping, subsidies and an understanding on dispute settlement, as well as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The law gives domestic firms "double protection, which clearly violates WTO rules," a trade source in Geneva said.

According to the sources, the first consultation between the nine members and U.S. officials is expected in January.

If the U.S. declines to abolish or amend the law during the consultation period, a three-member dispute panel will be established to examine the amendment legalities.

Japan voiced strong opposition to the amendment before the votes took place in the U.S. Congress.

House of Representatives and Senate. When Clinton signed the bill, Japanese officials made it clear they would file a complaint with the WTO.