Ottawa threatens tariffs against U.S. ketchup, chocolate, wine

Canada is threatening to slap tariffs on dozens of products imported from the U.S., including ketchup, chocolate and wine, after the World Trade Organization ruled for the third time that its meat-labelling laws discriminate against Canadian and Mexican livestock.

On Monday, a WTO compliance panel ruled that the United States’ revised country of origin labelling (COOL) policy for beef and pork “violates” the technical barriers to trade, or TBT, agreement “because it accords imported Canadian livestock treatment less favourable than that accorded to like domestic livestock.”

The COOL policy has a “detrimental impact” on Canadian livestock’s ability to compete in the U.S. market, the WTO ruled. The panel recommends that the U.S. change the policy to conform with its obligations under the TBT agreement.


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