US appeals WTO country of origin labeling ruling

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  Anna Moderska

  The U.S. has appealed a WTO ruling that states the U.S. country of origin labeling law violates international trade obligations.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The United States on November 28 appealed a ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) that stated the U.S. Country of Original Labeling (COOL) law was in violation of international trade obligations. The COOL law requires that meat be labeled with the country where the animal used for the meat product was born, raised and slaughtered.
  The WTO in October ruled against the U.S., saying the law discriminated against Canadian and Mexican livestock.
  After the WTO made its ruling, organizations including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), American Meat Institute and North American Meat Association (NAMA) have urged Congress and President Barack Obama to fix the law so the U.S. would not be subjected to retaliatory sanctions and tariffs.
  However, other groups, such as the National Farmers Union, have supported COOL.
  Officials from Canada, who had earlier threatened retaliatory measures, expressed disappointment in the U.S. decision to appeal.
  “Canada fully expected the United States to live up to its international trade obligations and comply with the WTO ruling, which reaffirms 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,” Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Canadian International Trade Minister Ed Fast said in a joint statement.
  “With this delay, the United States is yet again preventing both of our countries from enjoying the benefits of freer and more open trade and is hurting farmers, ranchers and workers in the United States and Canada. We are confident that the WTO Appellate Body in the compliance process will uphold the principal finding of the report: that the amended U.S. COOL measure discriminates against Canadian livestock. That finding marks another clear victory for Canada and recognizes the integrated nature of the North American supply chain.”