NAFTA ruling favors Canada

original
By Annie Gallant
Mar 26 2006

A NAFTA panel issued its final ruling last Friday.
After six separate reviews, it confirmed Canadian softwood lumber is not subsidized and the U.S. countervailing duties that have been in place for nearly four years should never have been levied.
“This is a huge victory for Canada,” said John Allan, BC Lumber Trade Council president.
“This is the second NAFTA panel comprised of a majority of Americans to have unanimously ruled there is no merit to the U.S. allegations, first regarding injury, and now regarding subsidy.”
Cash deposits amounting to $4.4 billion should now be returned to Canadian companies, Allan said.
“Regrettably, the United States has taken the outrageous position it does not have to refund the money it should not have collected to begin with.”
The only recourse left to the U.S. department of commerce is to request an extraordinary challenge committee hearing that must be in place before April 27.
“In this particular case, we now have finality, subject to the ECC, and I just don’t think the ECC would be anything more than a delaying tactic.
“The Americans have two options, either revoke the order (countervailing duties) or request an ECC.”