COOL block rejected

By Allison Finnamore

The Canadian Pork Council says it's disappointed with a court decision that rejects blocking the start of the United States' mandatory country of origin labelling.

A three panel judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided last week to rejecting the food industry challenge to block implementation of COOL.

"The Canadian Pork Council participated in the U.S. meat industry legal challenge as co-plaintiffs in the hope that a more expeditious and effective resolution of the matter could be achieved," says Jean-Guy Vincent, CPC chair. He says it's  essential there be a legislated change in order for the United States to meet its World Trade Organization obligations for COOL.

He notes last week's ruling is a separate process from a dispute settlement currently underway with the World Trade Organization.

"Our primary focus is prevailing at the WTO compliance panel," Vincent says. "Failure to accept a result favourable to Canada and to make WTO consistent amendments to the COOL measure could lead to retaliatory tariffs against U.S. exports."

The legal challenge is the third channel by which CPC is seeking resolution to COOL and what it calls discrimination against Canadian livestock exports. CPC says it will also continue to work closely with the federal government to lobby  for the U.S. Congress to make a legislative change that would eliminate the discriminatory impact of COOL.

Source: FCC