Canada Requests WTO Consultation on U.S. Duties on Supercalendered Paper Imports
Canada on March 30 filed a request for World Trade Organization consultations to challenge U.S. countervailing duties on supercalendered paper from the country, Canadian Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland announced (here). “Our government is committed to defending the interests of Canadian companies,” she said in a statement. “We are pursuing this matter in both binational and multilateral bodies to ensure trade practices are fair, allowing businesses to operate on a level playing field.” Freeland also mentioned that Canada in November requested a panel under NAFTA Chapter 19 to review the U.S. Commerce Department’s decision to impose CV rates ranging from 17.87 to 20.18 percent in October (see 1512090012).
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Commerce imposed the permanent duties after the International Trade Commission on Nov. 18 found that illegally subsidized imports of Canadian supercalendered paper injure U.S. industry (see 1511180050). An Office of the U.S. Trade Representative spokesman said in an emailed statement that the U.S. is “evaluating” Canada’s WTO request, and speaking generally, added that the Obama Administration will use trade laws to prevent foreign governments from gaining unfair advantages and harming U.S. businesses. “The United States asked Canada to remove the offending subsidies for more than two years prior to the industry filing its WTO-based CVD case; Canada refused,” the spokesman said. “It is ironic now for Canada to be invoking WTO remedies to address a legitimate U.S. response to massive large Canadian provincial subsidies that caused harm to U.S. companies and workers.”