Canada complains to WTO about US tariffs

ISTANBUL

The World Trade Organization (WTO) said Wednesday that Canada has lodged a complaint over US tariff measures.

"Canada has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding new tariff measures applied by the United States on goods originating in Canada," the WTO said in a press release.

The organization said Canada claimed the announced additional US ad valorem duties of 25% on all non-energy goods and 10% on energy goods originating in Canada are inconsistent with various provisions of the 1994 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as well as the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement.

On Feb. 1, US President Donald Trump signed a decree imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on imports from China.

A lower tariff of 10% was imposed on energy resources imported from Canada, and the tariffs were set to take effect on Feb. 4.

However, on Feb. 3, Trump suspended the implementation of the tariffs for one month in the face of measures to be taken by Canada and Mexico to increase border security.

With the expiration of this period, the suspended 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico entered into force on Tuesday.

Upon the start of the US tariffs against Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the US had launched a trade war against his country and announced that Canada would respond to US goods worth C$155 billion ($107 billion) at the same rate in response to the 25% tariffs imposed by the country.