Ontario lumber groups sue over softwood.Two Ontario lumber industry associations are heading to court to uphold a ruling under the North American Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), accord establishing a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994. (NAFTA NAFTA in full North American Free Trade Agreement Trade pact signed by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico in 1992, which took effect in 1994. Inspired by the success of the European Community in reducing trade barriers among its members, NAFTA created the world's ) that Canadian lumber is not subsidized. The Ontario Lumber Manufacturers Association and the Ontario Forest Industries Association are filing actions in the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to challenge the suspension by both Canada and the U.S. of NAFTA panel proceedings on the softwood softwood Timber obtained from coniferous trees (mainly of the pine and fir families). With the exception of bald cypress, tamarack, and larch, softwood trees are evergreens. lumber issue. The associations want a NAFTA panel ruling finalized that stated Canadian softwood lumber is not unfairly subsidized. Both organizations say despite the softwood lumber agreement reached April 27, the industry must still deposit about $40 million every month in countervailing duties Countervailing duties are a means to restrict international trade in cases where imports are subsidized by a foreign country and hurt domestic producers. According to WTO rules, a country can launch its own investigation and decide to charge extra duties, provided such additional . |
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