USMEF letter directed to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on the Westbou...
U.S. Files WTO Case Against Mexico's Antidumping Restrictions on Beef Exports
U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick filed a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against Mexico today in connection with Mexico's antidumping orders on U.S. beef and white long grain rice. Today's consultation request is the first step under WTO dispute settlement rules, and covers aspects of Mexico's recently amended antidumping and countervailing duty laws. If these consultations fail to resolve the dispute within the required 60 days, the U.S. would be entitled to request that a panel be established to consider the U.S. complaint and to determine whether Mexico is acting in accordance with its WTO obligations.
"By filing a WTO case today, we are working to ensure that Mexico doesn't use foreign trade remedy laws as unfair barriers to U.S. products," said Zoellick. "These laws are to be administered in a transparent and predictable manner in accordance with WTO rules so American farmers have fair market access in Mexico." In its consultation request, the U.S. identifies numerous apparent violations of Mexico's obligations under several WTO agreements, including the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (Antidumping Agreement), the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement), and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994). These violations relate to various procedures and methodologies Mexican authorities used in the beef and rice investigations, as well as to the requirements of the Mexican legislation. Mexico's antidumping measure on beef is already the subject of a case that the U.S. beef industry brought under Chapter 19 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). That case addresses whether the Mexican determination is consistent with the legal requirements of Mexico's antidumping law, and a NAFTA dispute panel ruling is expected in late July or August. Mexico has become the United States' third largest market for food and agricultural products since NAFTA was signed in November 1993. In 2002, the United States exported $829 million of beef products to Mexico.U.S. Files WTO Case Against Mexico's Antidumping Restrictions on Beef Exports
U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick filed a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against Mexico today in connection with Mexico's antidumping orders on U.S. beef and white long grain rice. Today's consultation request is the first step under WTO dispute settlement rules, and covers aspects of Mexico's recently amended antidumping and countervailing duty laws. If these consultations fail to resolve the dispute within the required 60 days, the U.S. would be entitled to request that a panel be established to consider the U.S. complaint and to determine whether Mexico is acting in accordance with its WTO obligations.
"By filing a WTO case today, we are working to ensure that Mexico doesn't use foreign trade remedy laws as unfair barriers to U.S. products," said Zoellick. "These laws are to be administered in a transparent and predictable manner in accordance with WTO rules so American farmers have fair market access in Mexico." In its consultation request, the U.S. identifies numerous apparent violations of Mexico's obligations under several WTO agreements, including the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (Antidumping Agreement), the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement), and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994). These violations relate to various procedures and methodologies Mexican authorities used in the beef and rice investigations, as well as to the requirements of the Mexican legislation. Mexico's antidumping measure on beef is already the subject of a case that the U.S. beef industry brought under Chapter 19 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). That case addresses whether the Mexican determination is consistent with the legal requirements of Mexico's antidumping law, and a NAFTA dispute panel ruling is expected in late July or August. Mexico has become the United States' third largest market for food and agricultural products since NAFTA was signed in November 1993. In 2002, the United States exported $829 million of beef products to Mexico.