WTO tells US to halt cotton farm subsidies
Publish date: 16 March 2005
Issue Number: 1297
Diary: Legalbrief Today
Category: Corruption
In a ruling that is expected to intensify pressure on the US and the EU to cut farm subsidies, the World Trade Organisation has upheld a ruling declaring illegal billions of dollars in subsidies to US cotton farmers.
A WTO panel in September backed a complaint by Brazil that US cotton subsidies violated fair trade rules by depressing world prices and breaching WTO subsidy limits, reports the Financial Times. Third World countries have long been calling on western powers to cut subsidies, saying the subsidies are destroying the livelihoods of millions of farmers in these countries. Full report in the Financial Times
