WTO approval for New Zealand panel request

WTO approval for New Zealand panel request

New Zealand's request of a panel to rule on the US safeguard measures legality has been accepted today by the WTO members. Thus New Zealand is now also included in the investigation by the panel set up of three trade experts. New Zealand is the seventh country panel request of which is accepted so far by the WTO. The others are the European Union, China, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and Norway. Brazil is also expected to join the requestors. The requesting companies argue that US safeguard measures implemented by Bush administration in March are breaking the WTO rules as there is no clear evidence that the domestic industry is injured by the imports. They also complain that US trading partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement, Mexico and Canada have not been included in these measures. It is expected to take the panel up to a year to reach a conclusion.