Brazil Appeals to WTO Against US Farm Subsidies

US corn field Brazil has decided to place an inquiry at the Dispute Settlement Body at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the United States financial support granted to farmers between 1999 and 2005.

The request for the inquiry on the United States was placed at the WTO on Tuesday, July 10, in Geneva (Switzerland). The government of Brazil states that the subsidies granted by the North Americans in the period were above the yearly US$ 19 billion limit granted by the WTO.

The Brazilian decision takes into consideration the same inquiry placed by Canada. It was also influenced by the impasse in the negotiations of the WTO Doha Rounds, according to the undersecretary general for Economic and Technological Affairs at the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty), Roberto Azevedo.

Earlier this month, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva speaking at the Progressive Governance Summit that he attended in South Africa on the last stop of his five-day trip to Africa, once again called for reduced farm subsidies in rich nations. This, according to Lula, would allow poorer nations to export their agricultural produce with better results.

Heads of state from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, Ethiopia, Sweden and South Korea, along with the head of the World Trade Organization, Pascoal Lamy, and the EU trade negotiator, Peter Mendelson, participated in the summit.

Lula also suggested that biodiesel could stimulate growth in poor nations. He said rich nations could finance its production and then buy the product, creating a mutually beneficial rich-poor nation relationship.

Lula added that it is becoming more obvious to all that poor nations can contribute to world trade, as well as science and technology. He said Brazil was willing to assist the less favored.

Tags:

You May Also Like

Tired of Waiting for Government Action Brazilian Indians Take Over Land

Tupinikim and Guarani Brazilian Indians who live in the southeastern state of EspÀ­rito Santo ...

Brazil Hopes Tax Exemption for Foreigners Will Bring Extra US$ 4 Billion

For some time, foreign investors have not had to pay taxes on stock market ...

Brazil’s Dilemma: Another Petrobras to Manage New Oil?

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is pondering whether to create ...

Brazil Maps Banana Genome and Vows to Save Fruit from Extinction

Genetic improvement has reached bananas. The results of the first phase of the Banana ...

Greens Lose, Tractors Already Roaring in Brazilian Amazon’s Belo Monte

The dry season has arrived in the Amazon and Norte Energia, the consortium that ...

World Bank Might Use Brazil’s Zero Hunger in Other Countries

International organizations recognize Brazilian government efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals related to ...

Minister Sees 2006 as a Green Year for Brazil

Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, says that with changes in macroeconomic policy and ...

Interest Rate Cut Doesn’t Cheer Up Brazilian Investors

Latin American and, in particular, Brazilian stocks fell again this Thursday, March 9, as ...

New Revelations of Corruption Add Pressure on Brazil’s Senate Chief to Resign

Just-released new reports of alleged fraud and embezzlement by Brazil Senate president, José Sarney, ...