Canada has won another round in a trade battle with the United States. A ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) released Monday (October 20) has concluded the U.S. has not done enough to change its meat labelling laws.
The WTO ruling found that the U.S. Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) requirement was detrimental to Canada and Mexico “because it accords to Canadian and Mexican livestock less favourable treatment than that accorded to like US livestock. In particular, the compliance panel concluded that the amended COOL measure increases the original COOL measure’s detrimental impact on the competitive opportunities of imported livestock in the US market…”
Canada’s International Trade Minister Ed Fast and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz released a statement after the ruling: “Canada is deeply disappointed that the U.S. has so far been unwilling to make the changes required to respect their trade obligations. In light of today’s ruling, Canada calls upon the U.S. to enact legislative change to eliminate COOL’s discriminatory treatment against Canadian hogs and cattle.”
And it reiterated Canada’s position that “Today’s WTO compliance panel’s report re-affirms Canada’s long-standing view that the revised U.S. COOL measure is blatantly protectionist and fails to comply with the WTO’s original ruling against it. The WTO’s clear and consistent findings in support of Canada’s position effectively supply a clear message to the U.S.: End this protectionist policy that creates economic harm on both sides of our border, and comply with your international trade obligations.”
The two ministers also released a joint statement with their Mexican counterparts Secretary of the Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal and Secretary of Agriculture Enrique Martínez y Martínez in which the two countries called on “the United States to repeal COOL legislation and restore the integrated North American market for cattle and hogs” and warned “Canada and Mexico will remain vigilant to ensure the harm generated by the protectionist COOL policy is brought to an end and that international trade commitments are respected.”
More information:
CTV News – Canada wins round in trade battle over meat labelling – here
Reuters – WTO says US has not complied with meat labelling ruling – here
WTO issues compliance panel reports on US “country of origin” disputes – report and findings – here
Ministers Fast and Ritz Call on U.S. to Comply with WTO Decision and Respect Trade Obligations – here
Statement by Canada and Mexico on U.S. Country of Origin Labelling – here
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