Brazil requested dispute consultations with the U.S. at the World Trade Organization on Aug. 11 regarding the 50% tariffs that President Donald Trump recently imposed on Brazilian goods. Brazil said the measures are inconsistent with U.S. obligations under Articles I and II of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and Articles 23.1 and 23.2 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU).
South Africa launched a safeguard investigation July 25 on flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, the nation told the World Trade Organization's Committee on Safeguards July 30. South Africa said interested parties must "make themselves known" within 20 days of July 25 and submit any information they wish by that date.
The World Trade Organization's published its agenda for the Dispute Settlement Body's July 25 meeting. The meeting will feature U.S. status reports on the implementation of DSB recommendations on: antidumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products from Japan; antidumping and countervailing measures on large residential washers from South Korea; certain methodologies and their application to antidumping proceedings involving China; and Section 110(5) of the U.S. Copyright Act. Status reports also are expected from Indonesia on measures related to the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products, and from the EU on measures affecting the approval and marketing of biotech products and on certain measures concerning palm oil and oil palm crop-based biofuels.
Arbitrators issued an award in the EU's dispute on China's enforcement of intellectual property rights under the World Trade Organization's Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). The arbitrators said that the EU showed that China has an anti-suit injunction policy for its courts and that parts of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) aren't confined to ensuring a patent owner's exclusive rights in each member's domestic legal system.
The World Trade Organization's Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures agreed during its meeting June 17-19 to establish a new working group on improving the transparency of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body on June 23 agreed to establish dispute panels in China's case against Canada's tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products and Canada's dispute against Chinese import duties on Canadian agricultural and fisheries products, the WTO announced.
Panama formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on June 12, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 102. The WTO needs nine more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.
Joseph Barloon, who was a general counsel at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during Donald Trump's first term, told Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., that he believes in rules-based trade.
Nicaragua formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on June 2, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 101. The WTO needs 10 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.
Malawi formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on May 28, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 100. The WTO needs 11 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.