WTO sides with U.S. in dispute with Mexico over rice imports

WTO sides with U.S. in dispute with Mexico over rice imports    A World Trade Organization panel has sided with the United States over a dispute involving Mexican antidumping duties on American long grain white rice imports.
   In a report Monday, the WTO panel agreed with the United States that Mexico’s antidumping duties on rice and various provisions in its antidumping and countervailing duty rules are contrary to WTO rules.
   “Mexico’s laws were not applied fairly, and we believe that disadvantaged our rice farmers,” said U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman in a statement.
   Mexico is an important export market for U.S. rice farmers. Last year, Mexico imported about $183 million of rice from the United States.
   Mexico imposed antidumping duties on U.S. white long grain rice in June 2002. In addition, Mexico passed amendments to its antidumping and countervailing duty laws in December 2002.
   The United States requested a WTO dispute settlement panel in September 2003, and the panel was established on Nov. 7, 2003.
   Under the WTO rules, both parties will have an opportunity to appeal the panel report to the WTO Appellate Body.