Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 7 • Number 19 • 28th May 2003

Russian Accession Put Off Until 2004

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CANADA, US DIVIDED OVER INTERPRETATION OF WTO RULING ON SOFTWOOD LUMBER

Canada claimed vindication in the long-running softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the US after the WTO ruled this week in favour of Canada that timber-harvesting (’stumpage’) fees administered by its provincial governments were not subsidies. The US, however, dismissed Canada’s claim of victory as premature. The panel had ruled against the US’ 18.79 percent countervailing duties on Canadian lumber, arguing that while the system of ’stumpage fees’ used in some Canadian provinces to sell cutting rights on public land could theoretically be used as a subsidy, the US trade figures did not show that this was the case. "There is no longer any question that the United States can impose countervailing duties against softwood lumber imports from Canada," a US trade official said. "The only question now is the amount of the countervailing duties that the United States can impose," he added. The ruling — and the countries’ reactions — echoed a very similar WTO ruling last year when the US duties were still temporary (see BRIDGES Weekly, 2 October 2002). Canadian Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew said he expected the US to appeal the panel decision. Canada believes that the ruling will also support its suit filed with a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panel against the US duties.

"Canada claims vindication with WTO softwood ruling," REUTERS, 27 May 2003.

Russia’s chief negotiatior at the WTO said on 20 May that the country will not accede this year. In late 2002, when WTO Members and Russia had agreed on a new, accelerated accession schedule, they had hoped that the ten-year process could have been finalised by the time of the fifth WTO Ministerial in Cancun in September this year (see BRIDGES Weekly, 20 December 2002). However — according to chief negotiator Maxim Medvedkov — Russia will not enter this year, and will make use of a longer break in negotiations to fine tune negotiating positions. The next meeting of the WTO Working Party on the Accession of Russia will be held on 7 July, and Working Party Chair Kare Bryn said that during this meeting "we will completely finish the stage of questions and answers and will be able to get to the core issue of working out Russia’s obligations".

"Russia WTO entry working group to hold next meeting July 7," PRIME-TASS, 19 May 2003; "Russia sees no chance of entering WTO in 2003," REUTERS, 20 May 2003.