TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2021) Canada is challenging the United States on imposing 18 percent tariffs on Canadian solar energy technology exports, Small business, Export Promotion and International Trade Minister Mary Ng said on Friday.
"Canada has requested a dispute settlement panel to address the United States safeguard tariffs of 18 percent on Canadian solar products," Ng said in a statement. "These tariffs are unwarranted and damaging to the global competitiveness of our long-established, secure, and deeply integrated supply chains."
Ottawa has requested a dispute settlement panel under Chapter 31 of the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement with respect to the US safeguard tariffs on solar products from Canada, Ng said.
"Canada and the United States must be aligned and work together on the development of sustainable and equitable energy transitions and clean energy innovation. ... Moving forward with Canada's request for a dispute settlement panel on these tariffs will help ensure the timely resolution of this issue," she said.
"Canada and the United States share a long-standing mutually beneficial relationship, and our ongoing partnership will contribute to a strong, sustainable recovery, and benefit workers and businesses on both sides of the border," Ng said.
Since the imposition of the US safeguard tariffs in early 2018, exports of solar products from Canada to the United States have declined by as much as 82 percent and under the timeline provided under the trade agreement, the dispute settlement panel would be expected to issue a report in early 2022, the statement said.
