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WTO ruling on US export subsidies favours the European Union

Today, the WTO Appellate Body confirmed that US subsidies to exports (via the Foreign Sales Corporation (FSC) scheme) breach WTO rules. FSC subsidies assist US exports worth around $250 billion, giving US companies an unfair advantage and creating major distortions of international trade. The US budgetary cost of the subsidy is around $3.5 billion each year.

WTO Upholds Ruling Striking Down U.S. Foreign Sales Corporation Scheme

Bureau of National Affairs The World Trade Organization will issue an appeal decision Feb. 24 upholding an earlier dispute panel ruling that concluded tax breaks offered to U.S. foreign sales corporations (FSCs) constitute an illegal export subsidy under multilateral trading rules, BNA has learned.

China""s Slow Response to Ag Agreement Draws Scrutiny

Outside Influences Chinese leaders are failing to follow through on a major agricultural trade agreement--a critical misstep that could hamper efforts to convince Congress to grant China permanent normal trading relations status, according to top lobbyists working the issue. By not making new food purchases and by being slow to finalize agreements with individual U.S.

Bradley to Propose Plan for Workers Laid Off Because of Trade Accords

By BOB DAVIS / Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL NEW YORK -- Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley plans to call for "earnings insurance" for workers laid off because of new trade deals, as a way to ease labor opposition to globalization.

U.S. Loses Dispute on Export Sales

New York Times | By JOSEPH KAHN | February 23, 2000 WASHINGTON - The United States has suffered its largest defeat ever in a trade battle, losing a dispute with Europe about tax policies in a ruling that deals a blow to trans-Atlantic relations and could force American companies to pay billions of dollars more in taxes each year.

EU Says Still Gaps in WTO Talks With China

By Paul Eckert BEIJING (Reuters) - The European Union and China remained far apart in talks in Beijing aimed at hammering out a deal to bring China into the World Trade Organization, an EU source said on Tuesday.

China, EU Resume Talks to Clear WTO Obstacles

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese and European Union trade officials went into a second day of market-opening talks on Tuesday in a bid to surmount the biggest remaining obstacle to China's membership in the World Trade Organization.

China Drives Closer to WTO Entry

By Paul Eckert BEIJING (Reuters) - China kept up the momentum in its drive to enter the World Trade Organization on Tuesday, striking a deal with India as crucial negotiations with the European Union entered a second day.

China, India Sign WTO Pact; EU Talks Go On

By Paul Eckert BEIJING (Reuters) - China kept up the momentum in its drive to enter the World Trade Organization on Tuesday, signing a deal with India and holding a second day of crucial negotiations with the European Union.

Australia Divided over WTO Ruling

Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon said the Tasmanian Government would not buckle to pressure from the WTO and the Australian Federal Government to weaken its quarantine laws and allow raw salmon into the state. "This is not a trade issue. This issue is about the protection of Tasmania's reputation as a producer of fine quality, disease free food."