When I read Brazil's reaction to the draft rules on zeroing, and then I come across the following reaction from a U.S. industry group, I start to wonder how a deal will ever get done:
The Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws ("CSUSTL") expressed grave concerns with the draft negotiating text issued as part of the Rules Negotiations in the Doha round of talks at the World Trade Organization, and urged the Administration to obtain stronger rules against unfair trade practices.
...
Although the provision in the draft that would permit "zeroing" in some circumstances has been identified as a benefit to domestic industries, CSUSTL noted that the proposal is weaker than U.S. law and practice had been before it was overturned by the WTO Appellate Body. The zeroing proposal essentially "splits the baby" by prohibiting zeroing in average-to-average comparisons in original investigations but permitting zeroing in administrative reviews. Previously, the U.S. Department of Commerce applied the zeroing methodology in both investigations and administrative reviews.
To be clear, zeroing wasn't the only concern about the draft texts -- there were many others. Still, reaching a compromise here will not be easy.
