A decade ago, Ecuador was faced with the European Union illegally flouting a WTO judgment, hurting Ecuador's banana industry to the tune of some $200-million (Canada's Example - editorial, March 12). Ecuador proposed retaliatory limits on European intellectual property, such as copyrights and alcohols (e.g. champagne).
The EU responded to the sabre rattling by returning to the bargaining table, where it at last agreed to compensate Ecuador.
You are shortsighted to call it "worrisome" that trade laws are enforced this way. It would be far more worrisome if the rich and powerful - the U.S. or EU - could break the law with impunity, for that would spell the end of the world order in global trade. Apart from Brazil, the other countries harmed by America's massive subsidies to its cotton farmers include some of the world's poorest and weakest in Africa.
Bravo to Brasilia for policing the rule of law, where Washington is all too happy to ignore it.