Canada extends measures against EU sugar

Following the decision of the Canadian International Trade Court to extend the anti-dumping and countervailing measures that have been in force since 1995 to EU imported sugar, the European Commission is considering referring to the World Trade Organization (WTO). As a spokeswoman said at the request of Agra Europe, the Brussels authority will examine the decision in detail and in the light of this examination will consider all possible options, including a lawsuit before the WTO. The spokeswoman said that the EU Commission regrets the decision by the Canadian authorities to maintain the anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of refined sugar from the EU. This applies in particular against the background that the European sugar sector has been subjected to a far-reaching reform, combined with the end of the quota system. And the direct payments meet the criteria of the “Green Box” according to the WTO rules and are therefore “not trade-distorting and not contestable”. ...