The U.S. is challenging the province91裸聊视频檚 decision to allow BC wine only on grocery store shelves.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) action is in response to provincial regulations set in 2015 that allow B.C. grocery stores to sell VQA wine on grocery store shelves.
The VQA-only licence allows stores to bypass the rule they be at least one kilometre from liquor stores, as well as avoiding the 91裸聊视频榮tore within a store91裸聊视频 model set out for non-B.C. wine.
The trade action follows on the heels of a California Wine Institute complaint to the USTR on Oct. 27 that called B.C.91裸聊视频檚 wine regulations 91裸聊视频渂latantly discriminatory.91裸聊视频
However, according to the B.C. government, the B.C. wine on shelves model will never see more than 60 partners. The liquor licences that are in these grocery stores are the same VQA licences that have existed in B.C. for years.
91裸聊视频淭he discriminatory regulations implemented by British Columbia intentionally undermine free and fair competition, and appear to breach Canada91裸聊视频檚 commitments as a World Trade Organization member,91裸聊视频 said U.S. ambassador Michael Froman.
Restricting the sale of international wines to the store-within-a-store outlets only is discriminatory, the USTR said.
91裸聊视频淚n British Columbia the local wines get an unfair advantage because they can be sold on grocery store shelves, while U.S. wines cannot. The United States simply seeks equal opportunities to market our wines, consistent with Canada91裸聊视频檚 international obligations,91裸聊视频 said Acting Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse.