Mexico mulls appeal of WTO corn syrup tax ruling
Mexico is mulling whether to appeal a World Trade Organization ruling in favor of the United States in a dispute over taxes on drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup, while seeking other ways to slow imports of the sweetener.
Mexico has in the past said it would contest the WTO ruling, but has yet to launch an appeal.
“One possibility is that we will not appeal the decision, depending on whether we have an alternative that could be as effective” in restricting imports, said Hugo Perez Cano, of Mexico’s trade negotiating team.
In June, the WTO issued a preliminary ruling against Mexico’s 20 percent tax on soft drinks made with fructose syrup, saying it unfairly discriminated against U.S. sweetener imports, and early this month a WTO panel upheld that ruling.
Corn-based fructose syrup, mainly imported from the United States, is much cheaper than Mexican sugar.
Mexico’s Congress imposed the tax in 2002, favoring the country’s sugar industry at a moment of financial crisis.
Perez Cano told Reuters various measures for controlling imports are under study, including extending to the United States 210 percent tariffs now applied to imports from other countries that are not partners in free trade pacts.
More: in.today.reuters.com
WTO panel sides against Mexico tax on US corn sweetener
A World Trade Organization panel has found that Mexico violated global trade rules in a soft-drink dispute with the US.
The issue is a 20-percent tax that Mexico slapped on beverages made with imported sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup and sugar made from beets. Drinks made with Mexican cane sugar are exempt.
Before the tax was imposed in 2002, Mexico was a top market for high-fructose corn syrup from the US. However, the tax made it too expensive to use the corn sweetener in soft drinks, and now the US share of
WTO panel sides against Mexico tax on U.S. corn sweetener
Mexico violated global trade rules in a soft-drink dispute with the United States, a World Trade Organization panel ruled Friday.
At issue is a 20-percent tax that Mexico imposed on beverages made with imported sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup and sugar made from beets. Drinks made with Mexican cane sugar are exempt from the tax.
Mexico said that regardless of the WTO panel decision, unless it can reach an agreement with the United States, it will continue to adopt the measures it considers necessary to protect the interests of its sugar sector.
Mexico
Mexico Loses Appeal on Its Rice Tariffs
A World Trade Organization appeals panel ruled that Mexico had unfairly imposed anti-dumping tariffs on U.S. rice, rejecting Mexico's argument against a previous ruling.
Mexico imposed the tariffs on U.S. white long-grain rice in 2002, claiming that it was being sold in Mexico at unfairly low prices, damaging Mexican producers.
U.S. officials raised the issue before the WTO a year later. In its ruling, the appellate body said Mexico must bring its measures in line with WTO rules, confirming an earlier ruling.
More: latimes.com
Mexico Senate rejects beverage tax plan
Mexico's Senate has rejected a proposal to eliminate the 20 percent tax on beverages made with high-fructose corn syrup, a tax that was ruled discriminatory by the World Trade Organization.
The Senate voted 47-31 late Thursday against the bill, which had already passed the lower house of Congress.
Congress imposed the levy in 2002 at the height of a dispute between Mexico and the United States over sweeteners that pitted Mexican sugar producers against U.S. corn refiners.
More: businessweek.com
Pepsi's antitrust complaint brings $54 million levy
Mexico's antitrust commission has hit Coca-Cola and its bottlers with a $54 million fine in response to 5-year-old complaints by rival Pepsico that it used exclusive deals with stores to shut out competitors.
If it sticks, the fine would be one of the largest ever levied against the Coke system for anti-competitive violations.
Coke said it plans to appeal. If the company loses, it will be responsible for about $1 million of the fine. Six bottlers are responsible for the rest, and each would decide on its own whether to appeal, said Coke spokesman Ben Deutsch.
Pepsi's
WTO panel: Mexico unfairly imposed tariffs
A World Trade Organization panel ruled Tuesday that Mexico had unfairly imposed antidumping tariffs on U.S. rice, rejecting a Mexican appeal against a previous ruling.
Mexico imposed the tariffs on U.S. white long grain rice in June 2002, claiming it was being sold in Mexico at unfairly low prices, damaging Mexican producers.
U.S. officials raised the issue before the WTO a year later. In its ruling, the appellate body said Mexico must bring its measures into line with WTO rules, confirming an earlier WTO ruling from June 2005.
U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman hailed the decision as
U.S.-Mexico trade route takes detour
Patience. Persistence. Frustration. Those words come to mind when considering the plight of U.S. apple growers as they attempt to retain their foothold in Mexico, where local growers have accused them of “dumping†Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples.
While U.S. growers have tried in court and through negotiations to reach an equitable tariff agreement, they have met resistance, primarily from the Chihuahua State Fruit Growers Association, which filed suit eight years ago over the prices U.S. growers charged for Red and Golden Delicious apples.
For eight years, U.S. growers have been wrangling with the Mexican government
Central America, Mexico and Haiti: Floods from Hurricane Stan Emergency Appeal No. 05EA021
THIS EMERGENCY APPEAL SEEKS CHF 1,568,000 (USD 1,230,694 OR EUR 1,012,648) IN CASH, KIND, OR SERVICES TO ASSIST 10,250 FAMILIES (SOME 51,250 BENEFICIARIES) FOR 6 MONTHS
CHF 250,000 (USD 196,188 or EUR 161,463) has been allocated from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to begin relief operations in response to the floods. Unearmarked funds to reimburse the DREF are encouraged.
A separate appeal seeking CHF 487,000 for 21,000 people (4,200 families) for floods and volcanic activity in El Salvador was launched on 5 October 2005
The situation
Mexico will eliminate soft-drink tax
Mexico will eliminate a 20 percent soft-drink tax following a World Trade Organization ruling that it violated global trade rules, officials said Wednesday.
On Monday, a WTO panel rejected an appeal by Mexico and supported U.S. claims that Mexico was in breach of international law in imposing a 20 percent tax on drinks that are sweetened with anything other than cane sugar grown in Mexico.
The government plans to ask Congress to lift the tax, which was imposed in 2002 by legislators to protect the Mexican sugar industry.
"We are working to resolve the tax
Mexico to return Denver murder suspect
A Mexican suspect in the shooting death of a Denver detective has not appealed his extradition and will be sent back from his Mexico City jail cell.
Raul Gomez-Garcia, 20, did not appeal the Mexican government`s extradition decision issued on Thanksgiving Day, and the 15-day appeal period has passed, the Denver Post reported.
Gomez-Garcia is charged with second-degree murder in Donald Young`s death and with attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of Detective John Bishop. He is accused of ambushing the two uniformed off-duty detectives while they provided security at a party at a social hall
