WTO to set up panel to see US tariff disputes among countries

The United States and opponents of President Donald Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs both confirmed their wish to litigate on Wednesday, triggering the procedure for World Trade Organization dispute hearings, a Geneva trade official said.

China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Norway, and Russia all confirmed they would escalate their disputes by starting adjudication proceedings, while the United States confirmed its wish for dispute panels against Canada, China and the EU.

Similar requests by Turkey against the United States and by the United States against Mexico are likely to be confirmed later on Wednesday. The WTO also agreed to a U.S. request for a dispute panel to rule on a U.S. intellectual property complaint against China.