Industry Files Suit in District Court to Bar Implementation of WTO COOL Ruling
Two trade associations and an organic foods company filed a suit in the U.S. District Court for Colorado to block implementation of the World Trade Organization’s recent ruling against U.S. Country of Origin Labeling Requirements (COOL), charging that U.S. law supersedes any WTO rulings that are contrary to U.S. law. Plaintiffs Made in the U.S.A. foundation, Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund of the United Stockgrowers Association (R-CALF USA), and Melonhead LLC argued that a provision in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, which implements the WTO agreement that the COOL requirements were found to have violated, says that WTO rulings have no effect if inconsistent with U.S. law.
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Plaintiffs are asking for a declaration that the WTO Appellate Body’s COOL ruling is null and void, an order compelling Agriculture Secretary Vilsack to continue to administer the COOL requirements in light of negotiations with Canada and Mexico, and an order compelling U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk cease and desist from “negotiating away sovereignty of the United States by attempting to amend and dilute the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling Act.”
Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of the complaint.