Washington | Reuters –– U.S. House of Representatives agriculture committee chairman Mike Conaway said on Tuesday he expects an early June vote on legislation to repeal U.S. meat labeling laws, to avoid costly retaliation from Canada and Mexico. Canada and Mexico began preparing retaliatory steps against U.S. goods on Monday, after a World Trade Organization […] Read more

U.S. lawmaker sees early June vote to repeal COOL

WTO panel rejects final U.S. appeal on COOL
Canada is set to ask the World Trade Organization to allow a long list of retaliatory tariffs against U.S. agrifoods and other goods, after a WTO panel shot down Washington’s final defense of its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law on meat. The WTO Appellate Body on Monday released its report on the U.S. government’s appeal of […] Read more

U.S. loses WTO appeal in meat labeling dispute: source
Reuters — The United States has lost its appeal against a World Trade Organization ruling ordering it to bring its meat labeling laws into line with global trade rules, according to a government official familiar with the dispute. In 2011, Canada and Mexico won a WTO ruling that said the U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules […] Read more
Brazilian beef exporters weigh WTO case against EU
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazilian meat exporters are considering taking the European Union to the World Trade Organization to challenge restrictions on their beef shipments to one of the world’s top markets, the head of the country’s beef exporters association told Reuters. A new dispute could further harm trade ties frayed by an EU case […] Read more

WTO appeal panel to rule on COOL by mid-May at latest
A World Trade Organization panel, after hearing the U.S. government’s appeal in defense of mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for meat, now expects to file its decision no later than May 18. The WTO Appellate Body, which on Feb. 17 heard the U.S. appeal and rebuttals from Canada and Mexico, served notice Thursday to the WTO […] Read more

U.S. ‘intransigence’ continues in WTO COOL hearing: officials
The U.S. government’s defense of its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) rule still shows “blatant protectionism and intransigence” according to Canadian officials at what’s expected to be the law’s last appearance before the World Trade Organization (WTO). U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials appeared Tuesday in Geneva before the WTO Appellate Body, where the U.S. hopes to overturn […] Read more

U.S. defense of COOL goes to WTO in February
The U.S. government will have its day at the World Trade Organization next month, as its defense of its mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) laws for retail meat is now booked for an oral hearing. The WTO’s Appellate Body division has scheduled its hearing of the U.S. government’s appeal for Feb. 16 and 17 at WTO […] Read more

U.S. to appeal latest WTO loss on COOL
Canada will have to wait up to three more months before it can impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods over Washington’s mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law on meat from imported livestock. The U.S. government on Friday filed a notice of appeal against the latest ruling by a World Trade Organization (WTO) compliance panel, which last […] Read more

COOL as is can’t be patched to satisfy WTO, Vilsack says
U.S. federal officials don’t see a way their mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) legislation can do what it was designed to do and satisfy global trade rules at the same time. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, speaking Monday on a U.S. Department of Agriculture podcast, said officials “do not think that there is a regulatory fix” for […] Read more

WTO sees global trade pact within two weeks
Brisbane | Reuters –– The World Trade Organization said Friday there was a “high probability” that a major deal on streamlining global customs rules will be implemented within two weeks after India and the U.S. overcame a key impasse. “I would say that we have a high probability that the Bali package will be implemented […] Read more