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Softwood: NAFTA Countervailing Duty Panel Rejects U.S. Motions |
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Written by Government of Canada
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Wednesday, 16 November 2005 |
International Trade Minister Jim Peterson today issued the following statement regarding the NAFTA countervailing duty panel’s rejection of a U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) request for clarification on the panel’s latest decision on softwood lumber:
“Canada has strongly opposed any initiatives to delay doing the right thing. We will keep up the pressure to see NAFTA respected. Here is a prime opportunity for the U.S. to demonstrate its commitment to the treaty it signed, plain and simple.
“On October 5, the panel provided the DOC with clear instructions on how to calculate the alleged subsidy level. Today, the panel reiterated its previous instructions and ordered the DOC to issue a new determination by November 23, 2005.
“The DOC should now comply with the panel’s instructions and issue a determination that Canadian softwood lumber production is not subsidized. It is clear that with close to $2 billion in trade crossing our border each day, North America as a whole stands to benefit.”
On October 28, 2005, the DOC filed a motion with the NAFTA panel in the softwood lumber subsidy case requesting clarification of the panel’s October 5 instructions. The DOC had also sought permission to file its remand determination 10 days after having received clarification from the panel. On November 4, 2005, Canada filed a brief with the NAFTA panel asking it the reject the U.S. motion. On November 16, the panel denied the U.S. request for clarification and instructed the DOC to issue its remand determination by November 23. |
