After 10 years of argument at the World Trade Organization, the U.S. dolphin-safe tuna labeling requirements are deemed to be justified for legitimate conservation goals, and not discriminatory toward Mexican fishing fleets. The appellate body report, issued Dec. 14, puts to rest Mexico's arguments that the measures were unnecessary and were discriminatory. At issue is the fact that in the part of the Pacific Ocean where Mexico catches tuna, boats commonly drag a dolphin in a net, because that attracts schools of tuna. Environmentalists say that puts stress on the dolphins. In order to qualify for dolphin-safe labeling, both a captain and an independent observer must certify this dolphin-as-bait method was not used.
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Dec. 12 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The European Union recently issued the following trade-related release (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
The World Customs Organization issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Dec. 10 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Dec. 7 (some may also be given separate headlines):
In recent editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Dec. 5 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The World Customs Organization issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The World Trade Organization's dispute settlement body agreed to set up two more panels to judge whether the U.S. was justified in levying aluminum and steel tariffs on trading partners under a national security rationale. The decision, made Dec. 4, added Switzerland and India to the list of eight countries and the European Union that will have panels challenge the tariffs (see 1811210029).