Softwood Lumber

What's New 2003

September 5, 2003

• Canada pleased with NAFTA ruling on threat of injury
  International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today welcomed a NAFTA dispute settlement panel, which ruled that the U.S. International Trade Commission's (ITC) determination that Canada's softwood lumber exports threatened to injure the United States softwood industry was inconsistent with U.S law. The panel ordered the U.S. to issue a new determination within 100 days. Find out more...

August 13, 2003

• NAFTA Panel Declares U.S. Softwood Lumber Countervailing Duty Illegal
  International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew announced that a NAFTA dispute settlement panel ruled that the United States' application of countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber was contrary to U.S. law. The NAFTA panel found in favour of Canada, requiring the U.S. Department of Commerce to correct their determination within 60 days.

July 17, 2003

• NAFTA panel orders U.S. to correct flawed softwood anti-dumping determination
  International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew welcomed today's NAFTA panel decision which states that the United States' application of anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber was inconsistent with U.S. domestic law.

June 18, 2003

• United States releases draft policy bulletin
  On June 18, 2003 the US Department of Commerce published a draft policy bulletin that, once finalized, would guide it in reviewing applications from Canadian provinces for changed circumstances reviews respecting the countervailing duty order. Successful changed circumstances reviews would lead to the revocation of the US countervailing duty order for a province. For more information, read our backgrounder on the policy bulletin, or find the document as posted on the DOC website.

May 27, 2003

• Trade Minister Pleased with Interim WTO Decision on Softwood
  International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today welcomed the news that a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel's interim decision supports Canada's claim that Canadian provincial stumpage programs are not subsidies. Find out more...

May 9, 2003

• Minister Pettigrew addresses the Quebec Forest Industry Council

May 7, 2003

• Panel established in Canada's challenge to U.S. Threat of Injury Determination
  A special meeting of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body was held on May 7, 2003. At that meeting, Canada made a second request for the establishment of a panel to review the International Trade Commission's final affirmative threat of injury determination. A panel to hear Canada's challenge was established at this meeting.

  For more information concerning this challenge, visit our WTO Challenges webpage.

April 15, 2003

• Canada requests establishment of WTO Panel on U.S. Threat of Injury Determination
  On April 15, 2003 at the meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), Canada made its first request for the establishment of a panel to review the International Trade Commission's final affirmative threat of injury determination. The United States invoked its right to block this first request. The DSB will automatically establish the panel when Canada makes a second request at the next DSB meeting.

  For more information concerning this challenge, visit our WTO Challenges webpage or read our request as posted on the WTO website.

January 16, 2003

• Canada expects U.S. to comply with WTO Byrd Decision
  On January 16, 2003, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body issued a report confirming that the U.S. Byrd Amendment violates international trade law. Find out more...

January 8, 2003

• WTO Panel established in Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Dispute

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