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Media release
Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile
Friday, 15 June 2001
Vaile calls on United States to remove lamb import restrictions
Trade Minister Mark Vaile today welcomed advice from the United States that it would comply with the WTO ruling on lamb.
"I now call on the United States to take prompt action to implement the panel's finding and lift its illegal import restrictions on lamb meat," Mr Vaile said.
Mr Vaile's comments follow an announcement today by the United States that it intended "to implement the recommendations and rulings of the Dispute Settlement Body in a manner which respects the US's WTO obligations". The United States also advised that that it would need a reasonable period of time in which to implement the ruling.
Under WTO rules, the United States is permitted to seek a reasonable period of time to implement the rulings on lamb. It is now up to the United States to reach agreement with Australia (and New Zealand) on that time period. If there is no agreement by 30 June, Australia and NZ have the option of seeking arbitration to set a deadline for implementation.
"We have not yet received any indication from the United States of how much time it will be seeking to implement the rulings. Australia will be pressing for the shortest possible period of time. We want to avoid a protracted implementation process. This would only exacerbate the problems already faced by Australian lamb meat exporters who for the best part of two years have had to live with these illegal restrictions," Mr Vaile said.
Mr Vaile described media reports that Australia was considering an announcement on the use of trade sanctions in response to the United States' notification as inaccurate and misleading. He said that Australia had made it clear to the United States that it was prepared to cooperate to have this dispute resolved fairly in line with the WTO rulings. He said the Government would continue to urge the Administration and the Congress to withdraw the restrictions as quickly as possible.
MVT92/2001
Local Date: Thursday, 20-Nov-2008 23:37:45 EST