Associated Press | Dec. 1, 2003
WASHINGTON - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick welcomed on Monday a decision last week by a World Trade Organization appeals panel that Japan's restrictions on American apples were illegal.
The panel rejected all parts of Japan's appeal of a July 15 ruling that struck down measures the Asian country said were needed to protect its own apple trees from fire blight, a plant disease.
"This is very important for gaining meaningful access to Japan's market," Zoellick said in a statement. "We are committed to ensuring a level playing field for apples and other U.S. agricultural goods."
Fire blight is a bacterial infection that affects apples, pears and roses, but not humans. Affected trees produce reduced crops and may die. The disease is carried between trees by rain, wind and insects and is widespread in the United States.
Japan, which does not have fire blight, imposed a series of strict rules on imports of U.S. apples. Even if infected apples did get into Japan, the panel said it was unclear that they could transmit the disease to Japanese plants.Associated Press:
