WTO panel rules against U.S. on COOL: WSJ — Meatingplace

WTO panel rules against U.S. on COOL: WSJ

By Tom Johnston on 8/22/2014

A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel has sided with opponents of U.S. country-of-origin labeling law, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, citing “sources familiar with the panel’s confidential report.”

Canada and Mexico have asked for the World Trade Organization’s help against new U.S. COOL rules, which they say are more restrictive and harmful to beef cattle and pigs imported into the U.S. than an earlier version of the legislation that was found to violate WTO rules. Third parties in the dispute include Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.

“We all know what the report says. The U.S. lost,” one source told the WSJ.

Another said, “We do for a fact know that the ruling, when it is made public, will be in favor of Canada and Mexico.”

WTO rules give the United States 60 days to appeal from the date the report is published.