(New Europe) The European Union has requested a World Trade Organization (WTO) investigation into Ontario’s renewable-energy legislation. The EU believes that the Ontario Green Energy and Economy Act (OGEA) is in breach of Canada’s WTO obligations, claiming that it is illegal to condition access to a subsidy to the use of domestic products. The OGEA [...]
(New Europe)
The European Union has requested a World Trade Organization (WTO) investigation into Ontario’s renewable-energy legislation. The EU believes that the Ontario Green Energy and Economy Act (OGEA) is in breach of Canada’s WTO obligations, claiming that it is illegal to condition access to a subsidy to the use of domestic products.
The OGEA provides for the development of programmes to encourage the use of renewable energy and it allows for its purchase at an above-market price, which constitutes a subsidy. However, access to this programme is conditioned by the use of domestic products and services. Read more here.
(EuropeanVoice.com – Toby Vogel) The European Union has brought a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Ontario’s renewable energy policy. In announcing the step today (11 August), the European Commission said that the subsidies provided by the Canadian government to producers of renewable energy who use domestic technology violate global trade rules. The [...]
(EuropeanVoice.com – Toby Vogel)
The European Union has brought a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Ontario’s renewable energy policy.
In announcing the step today (11 August), the European Commission said that the subsidies provided by the Canadian government to producers of renewable energy who use domestic technology violate global trade rules. The EU has now requested consultations with Canada under the WTO’s dispute settlement procedure. Bilateral negotiations on the matter failed to resolve the issue.
Exports to Canada of equipment in wind power and photovoltaic power generation are “significant” but would be higher without the ‘buy Canadian’ provisions, the Commission says. It said it was “increasingly concerned” by similar measures by other trading partners. Japan has already complained against Ontario’s policy before the WTO. Read more here.
