September 29, 2006

US blocks Thai request for WTO investigation of shrimp duties

The US has temporarily delayed a WTO investigation on Thursday (Sep 28) into its anti-dumping duties on shrimp imports, saying it was "premature" for investigations.

The move would force Thailand to wait until October for a panel to be created.

The US measures being challenged threatens livelihoods and the sustainability of Thailand's shrimp industry, which employs 1 million people, Thailand told the WTO's dispute settlement body

Half of all Thai shrimp exports goes to the US.

Much of the industry consists of farmers still struggling to repay massive debts incurred from the December 2004 tsunami, which caused close to half a billion US dollars in damages. 

Thailand charges that the US has a complicated system of instituting charges which were overly cumbersome.

The US also has anti-dumping duties on shrimp imports from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India and Vietnam.

Ecuador already has instigated a WTO investigation and both India and Vietnam has requested consultations.