WTO chief seeks to justify ‘Buy American’ measures

He said the good news was: “the final compromise is that this provision will be implemented in a way that is consistent with US WTO obligations.”

The final version of the “Buy American” measure requires public works and building projects funded by the stimulus package to use only US-made goods,including iron and steel.

But it also requires that it be done in a manner consistent with US trade pacts — giving Canada,the European Union,Japan and a short list of other trading partners some comfort they could share in the expanded US public works market created by the economic stimulus bill.