Ottawa expects Washington to abide by WTO ruling on US lumber tariffs

Ottawa expects Washington to abide by a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling against US tariffs imposed on Canadian lumber products, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade Mary Ng said in a statement.

Ottawa [Canada], August 25 (ANI/Sputnik): Ottawa expects Washington to abide by a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling against US tariffs imposed on Canadian lumber products, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade Mary Ng said in a statement. Earlier on Monday, the WTO ruled that the United States failed to prove that the price of exported lumber was artificially low due to Canadian provincial government subsidies.

"Canada expects the United States to comply with its WTO obligations. US duties on Canadian softwood lumber must not persist," Ng said on Monday. The minister said the US tariffs have caused unjustified harm to Canadian industry and US consumers.

In 2006, Canada and the United States reached a settlement under which Washington agreed to suspend imposing tariffs on Canadian timber. The deal expired in 2015 and the administration of US President Donald Trump, who took power two years later, has subsequently imposed new tariffs on Canadian lumber, prompting a new dispute. (ANI/Sputnik)