A World Trade Organization Panel is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland today and tomorrow holding a hearing concerning the rewritten U.S. Country of Origin Labeling law.  Canadian and Mexican officials are arguing the measure is out of compliance with WTO trading rules while U.S. officials are defending it. Canadian Pork Council Executive Director Martin Rice who’s at the hearing says he doesn’t expect a formal decision for some time.

Rice says his country is prepared to retaliate against the U.S. if they get the go ahead from the WTO and it rules in their favor. He says however that’s really their least favorite option.

Rice says his group feels the rewritten COOL law is actually more restrictive and trade distorting than the original rule was.