Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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On December 7 the World Trade Organization (WTO) gave approval to Canada and Mexico to impose up to $1 billion a year in trade sanctions on the U.S. Country-Of-Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements for beef and pork. Originally part of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, COOL was strengthened in 2013 by Congress and the Department of Agriculture.
In Geneva, a WTO arbitration panel determined that the COOL requirements put Canadian and Mexican meat products at an unfair disadvantage against those of the United States. Thus, the panel ruled that Canada, as the largest North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partner with the United States, and Mexico, as the second largest, have the right to apply punitive tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation for the COOL laws.
Canada has been granted the right to apply annual tariffs of $780.3 million, and Mexico $227.8 million a year.
The COOL labeling requirements, extremely popular with U.S. consumers, stipulate that packaged meat must document where the livestock animals were born, where they were raised, and the location of slaughter. However, the World Trade Organization has repeatedly called for repeal of the COOL laws, insisting that they discriminate against Canadian and Mexican meat imports.
The U.S. House of Representatives has already buckled to the pressure and passed a bill to repeal COOL laws; however, the Senate has yet to vote on the measure.
Beef and Pork Country-of-Origin Labeling Laws: WTO Favors Canada, Mexico Over U.S.
And now the rest of the US will understand why many of us hate the WTO.
In Geneva, a WTO arbitration panel determined that the COOL requirements put Canadian and Mexican meat products at an unfair disadvantage against those of the United States. Thus, the panel ruled that Canada, as the largest North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partner with the United States, and Mexico, as the second largest, have the right to apply punitive tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation for the COOL laws.
Canada has been granted the right to apply annual tariffs of $780.3 million, and Mexico $227.8 million a year.
The COOL labeling requirements, extremely popular with U.S. consumers, stipulate that packaged meat must document where the livestock animals were born, where they were raised, and the location of slaughter. However, the World Trade Organization has repeatedly called for repeal of the COOL laws, insisting that they discriminate against Canadian and Mexican meat imports.
The U.S. House of Representatives has already buckled to the pressure and passed a bill to repeal COOL laws; however, the Senate has yet to vote on the measure.
Beef and Pork Country-of-Origin Labeling Laws: WTO Favors Canada, Mexico Over U.S.
And now the rest of the US will understand why many of us hate the WTO.
