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CLOVIS, Calif., Oct. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The Olive Growers Council of California (OGCC) commends the Trump Administration for its important decision today to take WTO-authorized countermeasures against the European Union (EU) for its longstanding non-compliance in the WTO Large Aircraft case.  The retaliatory measures announced today by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) include 25% duties on, among other goods, provisionally preserved bulk olives and other olive categories from Spain and certain other EU countries. 

Mike Silveira, Chairman of the OGCC, stated that “in taking these measures, including against certain olives from the EU, the Administration has underscored its stance against unfair EU subsidies.  In the case of ripe olives, the Administration has been tireless in safeguarding the US-grown-and-processed ripe olive industry from dumped and subsidized ripe olives from Spain.”  In 2018, the Administration announced an average antidumping and countervailing duty rate of 35% on ripe olives from Spain.

Silveira added, “Even with the new antidumping and countervailing duty orders against Spain, a Spanish olive company has just invested in a US ripe olive processor, enabling the combined company to terminate nearly all its contracts with US growers and import provisionally prepared bulk olives from Spain.  The retaliatory tariffs announced today by Ambassador Lighthizer on olives and other goods will help stop this unfair approach to trade, further underscore the Administration’s continued commitment to strong trade enforcement, and, in the case of olives, help protect the integrity of the US-grown-and-processed ripe olive industry.”

SOURCE Olive Growers Council of California