Brasília, 6/23/2004 (Agência Brasil) - The United States may appeal a World Trade Organization decision on US cotton subsidies that was favorable to Brazil. According to the American ambassador in Brazil, Donna Hrinak, the appeal will argue that US farm support porgrams do not violate WTO rules

The WTO decision, which was released last week, ruled on a complaint made by Brazil in March 2003 which claimed that US cotton growers received government subsidies totalling over US$13 billion between 1999 and 2003, which was gravely detrimental to Brazil because it enabled US cotton growers to depress world cotton prices.

If the US decides to appeal the WTO decision, it must do so by October of this year.

(Translator: Allen Bennett)