The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has officially decided to appeal this fall’s World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling which found the United States’ mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law not in compliance with WTO trade guidelines, reports Feedstuffs.
A USTR spokesperson said the U.S. appealed the compliance panel reports in the COOL dispute.
“Among other findings, the U.S. appeal requests reversal of the panel findings that the amended COOL measure accords imported Canadian and Mexican livestock less favorable treatment than that received by U.S. livestock.”
USTR said the parties are consulting with the Appellate Body on the schedule for this appeal, including the filing date for the U.S. appellant submission.
Bob McCan, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said that an appeal brings the U.S. closer to retaliatory tariffs from Canada and Mexico, “a path that will damage our economy and our relationship with our largest trading partners.”