Statement by Canada and Mexico on U.S. Country of Origin Labelling

Statement

December 17, 2015 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade, and Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, jointly issued the following statement on the margins of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, on the United States’ Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) requirements:

“Yesterday, we met to discuss our shared commitment to North American prosperity and how the WTO can further contribute to global development.

“We are reminded this week of the importance of a rules-based multilateral trading system and the role the WTO plays in ensuring all members play by the rules. The WTO’s ruling on U.S. COOL reaffirms the effectiveness of the dispute settlement mechanism.

“Canada and Mexico are also closely following recent and positive developments in the U.S. Congress to repeal COOL for beef and pork.

“COOL harms both Canadian and Mexican livestock producers. The governments of Canada and Mexico are working together on a coordinated approach to defend the interests of our livestock industry.

“If the COOL repeal is not signed into law, Canada and Mexico are prepared to quickly exercise their retaliatory rights.”

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Hon. Chrystia Freeland Global Affairs Canada Economics and Industry