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NCGA
Pleased with WTO Ruling Overturning Mexican Duties on U.S. HFCS (10-23-01)
The World Trade
Organization's (WTO) Appellate Body yesterday ruled that Mexico's anti-dumping
duties on U.S. high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are illegal. The ruling
in effect orders the Mexican government to remove the duties it placed
on this corn-derived product.
National Corn Growers
Association (NCGA) Public Policy Action Team Chairman and Coshocton,
Ohio, corn grower Brent Porteus, said, "We are very pleased with
the WTO decision released yesterday and look forward to developing new
markets for corn and corn products."
For several years,
American imports of HFCS into Mexico have been subjected to unfair duties.
The justification for the duties-made by Mexican officials-was that
the United States "dumped" HFCS into their country. Some of
the duties reached as high as 100 percent of the value of the HFCS.
"Without the
anti-dumping duties that Mexico has implemented," Porteus concluded,
"U.S.-produced HFCS can compete on a more level playing field."
This case has been
a long time coming to final resolution, and underscored our need for
negotiated trade agreements. This case also proceeded under the North
American Free Trade Agreement, where a NAFTA panel ruled in August 2001
that the anti-dumping duties were illegal and imposed a 90-day timeframe
for the Mexican government to terminate the order.
Last
reviewed October 23, 2001
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