-Caveat Lector-
Yet another reason to be against the FTAA("Free Trade" area of the
americas)
Remember:More people have died in Ted Kennedy's car than have died in
United States Commercial Nuclear Power plant operations
visit my web site at
http://www.info-quest.org My ICQ# is 79071904
See the Pledge of alleginace to the flag that the 9th circuit court of
appeals doesn't want you to say.
for a precise list of the powers of the Federal Government linkto:
http://www.info-quest.org/Enumerated.html
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 23:45:10 -0700
From: Paul Blumstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Recipient List Suppressed: ;
Subject: [JBirch] WTO OKs Trade Sanctions Against U.S.
<http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/424572|top|08-31-2004::16:08|reuters.html>
WTO OKs Trade Sanctions Against U.S.
Aug 31, 3:52 PM (ET)
By Richard Waddington
GENEVA (Reuters) - The European Union and its allies got the go-ahead
on Tuesday to impose some $150 million in sanctions on U.S. goods in
a dispute that could stir trade tensions ahead of the U.S. elections.
World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitrators backed the EU and seven
other WTO members' demand to punish U.S. failure to revoke an
anti-dumping law -- the so-called Byrd amendment -- repeatedly
declared illegal by the Geneva-based body.
EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy in Brussels urged Washington to
repeal the controversial law. "I hope the U.S. will now take action
to remove this measure, thus avoiding the risk of sanctions," he said.
In Washington, a spokesman for U.S. Trade Representative Robert
Zoellick repeated a long-standing pledge to "work closely with
Congress" in order to comply with WTO rules.
The U.S. administration has urged Congress to drop the measure, which
passes on anti-dumping levies to U.S. firms, but the law enjoys
strong backing from legislators who see it as helping struggling
industries.
"The United States remains committed to resolving this issue in a way
that promotes the competitiveness of American workers," said
spokesman Christopher Padilla.
The arbitrators, in a ruling running to more than 60 pages, set no
amount for retaliation, but laid down a formula which complainant
countries could use to fix punitive duties.
The disputed law, named after Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West
Virginia, forces the government to distribute to U.S. companies money
raised in anti-dumping duties levied on foreign firms.
HIT BACK
The European Union, Japan, Canada, Brazil, India, Mexico, Chile and
South Korea argued successfully at the WTO that those payments, to
U.S. ball bearing, steel, candle, pasta, seafood and other companies,
amounted to an illegal subsidy.
They had asked for sanctions for the same amount as U.S. firms
receive, but arbitrators set the figure at 72 percent.
"The decision confirms that the U.S. position was wrong," the
coordinator-general of trade disputes at Brazil's Foreign Ministry,
Roberto Carvalho de Azevedo, told Reuters. "It (the decision) avoids
a domino effect, as various countries were threatening to adopt
similar measures (to Byrd)."
Washington argued no direct damage to competitor firms could be
proven and that sanctions were unwarranted.
Based on disbursements under the amendment in 2003, the EU said
current sanctions could amount to $150 million for the eight members.
But the figure looks set to rise in coming years if Congress digs in
its heels.
Japan would be a big beneficiary, with its companies picking up some
two-thirds of the anti-dumping levies imposed by the United States so
far this year, according to trade officials.
The spat is one of a series involving the administration of President
Bush, an avowed "free-trader" accused by critics of being reluctant
to bow to WTO rules when they go against the United States.
The disputes have led to rumblings in Congress that the WTO is
overstepping its authority.
A Senate aide, who asked not to be identified, said there was "no
way" Congress would simply repeal the amendment.
"I think it's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to do
anything this year" given the tight legislative calendar ahead of the
November elections, he added.
However, diplomats said the EU would be in no hurry to impose
sanctions, which are a double-edged weapon that can also hurt
exporting firms.
"The legal victory has been won and the preference would be that the
U.S. would simply see that there's nowhere to go on this ... (and)
withdraw the law," said one diplomat in Brussels.
(Additional reporting by John Chalmers in Brussels, Doug Palmer in
Washington and Guido Nejamkis in Brasilia)
© 2002-2004 My Way
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
$9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/A0NplB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
The opinions expressed on this forum are those of the authors of the articles posted.
The John Birch Society has no responsibility for anything that is posted on this
forum. The OFFICIAL John Birch Society web page is a www.jbs.org "Look alike" clone
pages, run by others, violate JBS policy. Visit The New American at
www.thenewamerican.com
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Edmund Burke 1729-1797
"Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who still have
swords."Get FAST unlimited reliable uncensored internet service for $9.95 per month
No Setup Fees.
No Contracts.
No limit on email groups.
5 email accounts at no additional cost.
Fastest Dialup Connection available.
Click here now
http://www.getmysmartisp.net
Fastest Dialup Connection available.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JBirch/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
www.ctrl.org
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
<A HREF="http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
