Canada Wants WTO

Panel On U.S. COOL Policy

The Canadian government said it has asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to set-up a dispute settlement panel to hear its complaint about mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) in the U.S., according to USAgNet. The decision to ask for a panel indicates that efforts to find a negotiated settlement between the Obama Administration and Canada have collapsed. Two rounds of consultations were conducted, reports FeedStuffs.com.

The U.S. can block, only once, the Canadian panel request. The request is expected to be taken up October 23 by the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body. If blocked, the panel would be established at the November 20 meeting. Panels normally operate with a six month deadline to deliver an initial ruling.

“The U.S. COOL requirements are so onerous that they affect the ability of our cattle and hog exporters to compete fairly in the U.S. market,” said Canadian Trade Minister Stockwell Day. “That is why our government has no choice but to request a WTO panel. This request demonstrates our ongoing commitment to resolving this issue and defending the interests of Canadian producers.”