WTO PANEL DELAYS SUGAR RULING

The WTO panel examining a case brought by Brazil, Australia and Thailand against the EC sugar regime recently said it needed more time to provide its ruling. According to the judges, the case -- in which Brazil claims that the EC sugar regime has flooded the international market and brought down prices due to illegal subsidisation (see BRIDGES Weekly, 18 March 2004) -- was so complex that they needed more time to examine econometric and other data. The ruling is now expected in early September this year, two months later than originally planned. The EC is currently in the process of reviewing its sugar regime (see related story, this issue).

"WTO delays ruling in Brazil-EU sugar spat," REUTERS, 28 June 2004.