Nine WTO dispute panels now reviewing 232 duties

This article in American Shipper points out that Canada isn’t the only country that is subject to additional U.S. tariffs on steel and has filed appeals with the WTO regarding these additional tariffs.

As well, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the WTO has established four panels, at the request of the U.S., to review the legality of duties imposed by Canada, China, the EU and Mexico on U.S. imports in response to the additional tariffs imposed by the U.S.

The World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on Tuesday agreed to establish two panels, at the request of Switzerland and India, to rule whether Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum comply with WTO rules, a Geneva trade official wrote in an email.

The U.S. blocked Switzerland’s and India’s first requests for panels during the last DSB meeting on Nov. 21.

Both countries said the U.S. actions are safeguard measures and challenged repeated U.S. assertions that the duties fall under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XXI national security exception...

This has been excerpted from the 5 December 2018 edition of the American Shipper.