COOL Arbitration Decision Date Pushed Back

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A three-member WTO arbitration panel’s final decision on whether Canada and Mexico are justified in imposing $3.2 billion in annual Canada and Mexico retaliatory trade measures against the U.S. country of origin labeling rule on meat will not be made Nov. 27 as previously indicated, according to sources. Contacts say the reason for the delay is a frequent one offered by the World Trade Organization : the time it takes to translate various papers, decisions, etc.

During a recent two-day arbitration hearing in Geneva, Switzerland, both Canada and Mexico claimed their estimates were accurate, based on real figures and represented appropriate damages stemming from the U.S. application of discriminatory COOL rules.

Meanwhile, the U.S. repeated its concern that the Canadian and Mexican calculations were inaccurate, omitted key variables and led to inflated results that were 35 times greater than the U.S. estimate of $90.77 million in combined annual damages.

Canadian officials are likely displeased by the apparent arbitration panel decision delay, as they wanted the U.S. Senate to act on legislation to repeal COOL before Congress recesses, likely a week or so before Christmas. It is unclear if that can still occur, pending the official date the WTO announces or makes known regarding when the WTO arbitration panel will make its decision.

 

 

Source:   DTN Washington Insider

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