Brazil Studies How to Punish US for Anti-dumping Laws

Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations released a note stating that the government will “reserve Brazilian rights in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and hold consultations with other relevant government organs to determine the next steps to be taken by the country in that organization.”

The note was prompted by WTO decision, on August 31, authorizing Brazil and seven other trade partners to apply sanctions against the United States for failing to abolish its anti-dumping laws, which had already been judged illegal by the organization.

“Brazil is very pleased with the outcome of this dispute, since it was confirmed that the so-called ‘Byrd Amendment’ violates the Anti-Dumping and Subsidies and Compensatory Measures Accords, and it keeps other WTO members from adopting measures similar to the American ones,” the note informs.

The Byrd Amendment allows fines received by the United States in dumping cases to be passed along to American export firms. The WTO declared the amendment illegal in 2002.

By way of illustration, it should be observed that anti-dumping and compensatory levies on Brazilian exports amounted to US$ 3,057,908.47 in 2002 and US$ 2,086,983.04 (preliminary figure) in 2003.


In previous years these amounts were considerably larger, and the existence of a WTO decision such as the present one helps discourage the use of such instruments.

Retaliatory measures are authorized only as long as the US continues to disregard the decisions of the Dispute Settlement Body.

The other countries that also obtained the right to apply sanctions against the United States are Canada, Chile, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico.

Agência Brasil
Reporters: Lana Cristina and Ana Paula Marra
Translator: David Silberstein

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil’s NO Win Is a Vote of Non-Confidence in Lula

A sweeping 64% of Brazilians said NO to a ban on the sale of ...

In São Miguel das Missões, Brazil, the 17th Century Is Alive in the Ruins

It’s a small, silent town. It is called São Miguel das Missões and is ...

Foreign Tourists Have Already Brought US$ 2.1 Billion to Brazil This Year

The study Plano Cores do Brasil, meaning The Colors of Brazil Plan, ordered by ...

Ecuador’s Gutií©rrez Gives Up Political Asylum in Brazil

The ex-President of Ecuador, Lúcio Gutiérrez, gave up the political asylum granted by Brazil ...

Brazilian President Calls New Health Amendment a Present of Greek

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff called it a “Greek’s present,” a Portuguese expression Brazilians use to recall the ...

Top Brazilian Grain Producers Launch Non-GM Association to Win EU

A group of companies from Brazil launched this Tuesday, September 9, the Brazilian Association ...

Lula Finds out the Brazilian Military Still Pack a Heavy Punch

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva fired a four-star general, Maynard Marques de ...

Brazil Reasoning to Go to Iran: Let’s Make a Deal Before the Chinese Do It

Brazil’s minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Miguel Jorge, just went to Iran ...

Brazil Lowers Expectations for Corn and Soy Crops

Due to drought in Brazil's southern states, crops of corn and soybean in the ...

While Foreign Investment Decreases Worldwide Brazil Grows Its Share by 20%

Brazil, swimming upstream against the global trend, saw its inflow of foreign direct investment ...