The World Trade Organization (WTO) has agreed to set up another panel to hear Canada's complaints against anti-dumping duties imposed by the United States on its softwood lumber exports, the Canadian Press reported Wednesday.
This will be the fourth of its kind established by the WTO in the long-running dispute that threatens the future of Canada's softwood exports worth about US$6.6 billion annually to its neighbor, the report said.
The panel will hear Canada's challenge to duties that average 8. 43 percent imposed by the US Commerce Department.
Since last spring, most Canadian lumber exports to the United States have been subject to an average 27 percent in combined countervailing and anti-dumping duties.
US lumber producers claim that the Canadian softwood is subsidized and sell at below production costs.
The allegations have been rejected by Canada's lumber sector and federal and provincial governments. Canada has won previous softwood trade cases in the decades-old dispute.
Canadian International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew said that while the Canadian government will fight against the duties at the WTO level, it still hopes that a deal to end the dispute might be negotiated with the United States.
"Canada has always favored a long-term negotiated resolution to the Canada-US softwood lumber dispute, but only on a fair and reasonable basis," Pettigrew said in a statement Wednesday.
(eastday.com January 9, 2003)
