WTO Rules Mexican Duties Illegal

January 28, 2000

The World Trade Organization has issued a final rule that finds Mexico’s antidumping duties on high fructose corn syrup are illegal under the WTO antidumping agreement. The U.S. Corn Refiners Association says the Mexican sugar industry had tried to use the duties as a shelter from competition.

Chuck Conner, president of the USCRA, said the ruling "affirms the fact that antidumping law cannot be used to protect one industry from fair competition by another industry."

The WTO panel found that Mexico’s imposition of antidumping duties violated five separate provisions of the antidumping agreement, said Conner. The panel recommended that the WTO dispute settlement body request Mexico correct the violations.

Conner said the Mexican government "should immediately comply with the decision by terminating the antidumping order."