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Commodity Fact Sheet
April 2004
What’s the Outcome for Other Meat Products?
On February 8, 2004, the United States and Australia concluded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and on February 13, 2004, President Bush notified Congress of the intent of the United States to enter into an FTA with Australia. The FTA contains commitments on most agricultural products, and addresses other trade measures between the two countries as well.
Australian Commitments
The current situation . . . Australia generally applies low tariffs on agricultural products, and in many cases provides better market access than required under its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. Under the WTO agreements, Australia applies zero tariffs on fresh, chilled and frozen pork, poultry, lamb and mutton (HTSUS Chapter 2) and 5 percent tariffs on certain processed meat products (HTSUS Chapter 16). Sanitary regulations generally limit Australia’s imports of uncooked meats. From 2001 through 2003, the United States exported on average $3.1 million of these products.
With the agreement . . . Australia locks in its duty-free tariff treatment for U.S. fresh, chilled and frozen pork, poultry, lamb and mutton (HTSUS Chapter 2) and eliminates immediately the tariffs on certain processed products (HTSUS Chapter 16).
United States Commitments
The current situation . . . U.S. tariffs on pork, poultry, lamb and mutton imports range from duty-free to 17.6 cents per kilogram as part of the U.S. commitments in the WTO. Imports of pork carcasses and certain bone-in meat cuts are either duty-free or have a 1.4 cent per kilogram tariff. Lamb and poultry products generally have a higher duty rate. From 2001 through 2003, U.S. imports of Australian lamb, goat and mutton averaged $178 million and pork imports averaged $38,000.
With the agreement . . . U.S. import tariffs on the following products will be phased out over a four-year period: HTSUS 02042100, 02071200, 02071300, 02071400, 02072400, 02072520, 02072540, 02072700, 02073200, 02073500, 02073600, 16010060, 16022020, 16023100, 16023200, 16023900 and 16024110. The United States will eliminate immediately the tariff on all other pork, poultry, and lamb and mutton products not identified above.
Return to U.S.-Australia FTA Commodity Fact Sheet Page
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