The us defeat is final now. On March 3, 2005, the World Trade Organization (wto) appellate body upheld a ruling that condemned the us government for providing illegal export subsidies to its cotton producers. The us had appealed against a 2004 ruling of the wto dispute settlement body, made while acting on Brazil's complaint against us subsidies (see Down To Earth, 'Torn to shreds', May 31, 2004,).
Brazil had charged the us with retaining its place as the world's largest cotton exporter and second largest grower by paying huge subsidies to its cotton farmers. "It is a step toward the end of the distortions created by subsidies," Roberto Azevedo, a senior official in Brazil's foreign ministry told the media after the wto ruling. But the National Cotton Council of America, a us industry body, and other industry and trade groups of the us expressed disappointment at the ruling.
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