The World Trade Organization has ruled against some U.S. labeling regulations for meat sold in supermarkets, saying they discriminate against foreign suppliers, people close to the case said on Thursday.
The confidential interim ruling, if approved later this year, would deal a partial victory to Mexican and Canadian breeders frustrated in their attempts to export to the United States, and opens the way to scores of similar legal challenges, the sources said.
A WTO spokesman said the interim report — expected to be largely unchanged in its final version later this year — was circulated to the United States, Canada and Mexico on May 20. The WTO declined to comment on its contents, citing its confidentiality.
Canada and Mexico sued the United States at the WTO in 2009, saying U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) rules requiring meat sold in U.S. stores to show which country it comes from damaged their North American trade.
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