Partial WTO win for Taiwan in steel dispute with Canada

A World Trade Organization panel on Wednesday largely ruled in favour of Taiwan in its dispute with Canada over anti-dumping duties Ottawa has imposed on steel imports.

Taiwan launched a complaint in 2014 against Canada over duties on carbon steel welded pipes that Ottawa claims are being dumped on its market.

The WTO panel, established in March 2015 to help settle the dispute, found a number of the Canadian measures breached international trade rules.

Some of Taiwan's arguments were dismissed in the highly technical ruling, but the WTO panel largely found in its favour.

It ruled that the definitive duties Canada had imposed on Taiwanese steel pipes were not in line with the WTO's Anti-Dumping Agreement, although it said Taiwan failed to show that Canada's provisional duties were a violation.

The WTO, which polices global trade accords to offer its 164 members a level playing field, urged Canada to "bring its measures into conformity with its obligations".

Both countries have 60 days to appeal the ruling.

The WTO's disputes settlement body -- made up of independent trade and legal experts -- has the power to authorise retaliatory trade measures against a country found at fault.

Cases often take several years to resolve.