U.S. tariffs on Chinese solar panels break trade rules, WTO says

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/news/u-s-tariffs-on-chinese-solar-panels-break-trade-rules-wto-says/

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When it comes to global trade in solar panels and components, the U.S. trade representative wants to have his suncake and eat it too. Even as the trade rep has been hauling India before the World Trade Organization, complaining that the country’s requirements for domestically produced solar panels violate global trade rules, the U.S. has been imposing new duties on panels imported from China and Taiwan. By some estimates, the U.S. duties could increase solar module costs in the country by 14 percent.

On Monday, WTO judges who were mulling China’s complaint against the U.S. over its duties on solar panels and steel ruled in favor of — you guessed it — more world trade. Reuters reports:


In the $7.2 billion Chinese case, the panel found that Washington had overstepped the mark in justifying the so-called countervailing duties it imposed as a response to alleged subsidies to exporting firms by China’s government. …

And it told the United States it should adapt its measures to bring them into line with the WTO’s agreement on subsidies and countervailing measures.

[djean111]

1. And how long until any safety measures and manufacturing standards violate global trade rules.

Looks like the end game is shoddily manufactured crap sold at low prices all over the world. And for things like solar panels, it is not like a consumer can just toss a bad one and buy another one, easily.
The world will just be one giant Walmart, low wages, shoddy goods and all.

[xchrom]

2. +1