A final World Trade Organization judgment on the U.S. country-of-origin labelling rule is expected as early as late June.
The WTO wrapped up appeal hearings May 3.
The United States had appealed an earlier WTO ruling that said the COOL provisions were protectionist and contravened international trade rules.
In Geneva, Canadian lawyers argued that the original judgment was correct.
The U.S. responded that COOL is merely an attempt to provide information to consumers.
Canada’s hog and cattle sectors have supported Canada’s protests, and meat industry representatives attended the WTO Appellate Body hearing.
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Andrew Dixon, general manager of the Manitoba Pork Council, was part of the Canadian Pork Council delegation watching the proceedings.
“Canada has effectively argued that the COOL labelling requirements have seriously harmed and continue to harm Canadian exports of cattle and hogs to the United States,” he said in a CPC statement from Geneva.
“COOL has been particularly devastating to Manitoba hog producers, many of whom had to cease or significantly curtail their operations.”
However, any change in the law is unlikely anytime soon, even if the WTO rules against the U.S.
This is an election year in the U.S. and support for COOL has deep roots in Congress, where any change would have to be made.
In the CPC statement, past-president Jurgen Preugschas said he hopes the U.S, responds to a negative ruling.
“We look forward to working with our counterparts in the U.S. on a legislated return to normalcy.”
