WTO threat by US in OPD debate

THE US Government has waded into quad bike manufacturers’ campaign to ban rollover bars, warning any move by the Australian Government to make them mandatory would amount to a trade barrier.

It is understood the US Embassy in Canberra has lodged a complaint with the Australian Government, warning the adoption of an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommendation to mandatorily fit operator protection devices to new quad bikes would amount to a technical barrier to trade under World Trade Organisation rules.

Referring the matter to the WTO could mean months or even years of delay in implementing the requirement.

But safety researcher Keith Simmons responded: “If the Yanks want to take Australia to the WTO, then what are they going to do about Israel, where OPDs have been mandatory since the 1990s?

“All manufacturers are still selling into Israel.”

The ACCC has refused to comment on the complaint.

“We’re aware of broad stakeholder interest in our proposed mandatory standard and will have regards to all feedback in our final recommendation,” the ACCC stated.

Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham referred the Rural Weekly’s sister paper The Weekly Times to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which said in a statement Australia took its WTO obligations seriously, including the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.

“At the same time, it recognises WTO members’ right to implement measures to achieve legitimate policy objectives, such as the protection of human health and safety, or protection of the environment, while also providing for transparency in the introduction of such measures,” the department said.

The US Embassy was unable to respond by deadline on the issue.