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WTO Panel to Decide if COOL is Cool
Published Monday, November 23, 2009 at 04:55 AM
The World Trade Organization has decided it will establish a dispute settlement panel to rule on the legality of the U.S. Country-of-Origin Labeling law. The WTO decision comes after Canada and Mexico filed challenges, saying the U.S. law is hurting their meat exports to the United States. The two countries say the rules are stifling their livestock industries because U.S. meatpackers are choosing to refrain from buying their animals rather than go through the trouble of sorting them and labeling product in accordance with the rules. The U.S. COOL law provides for meat sold in U.S. stores show which country it comes from. Stockwell Day, Canada’s minister of international trade says, - COOL is having a negative impact on Canadian farmers and livestock producers. We continue to stand up for the rights of Canadian producers during the dispute settlement process and make the case that the U.S. should lift these onerous requirements. The WTO dispute panel will determine whether COOL rules comply with U.S. WTO trade obligations. A report is not expected until next summer or early fall.

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