By Wang Zichen

BRUSSELS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- In an apparent jab at the United States, the European Union and Japan on Thursday called for the proper functioning of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization.

On Thursday afternoon, the 26th Summit between the EU and Japan took place in Brussels, with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, meeting Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.

Part of a joint statement of the summit read: "we will continue working to enhance the monitoring function in WTO regular committees and to cooperate in order to ensure the proper functioning of the Appellate Body."

Nomination of new judges to the Appellate Body has been blocked by the United States. If that remains the case, the body will not have enough members to take cases by the end of this year.