Latest News about the Byrd Amendment:

24 April 2006: Eight additional Harmonized Schedule (HS) tariff codes were added to the retaliatory list - click here for Commission Regulation (EC) No. 632/2006 to view the revised list in Annex I. The additions appear to cover blankets, hand-made apparel, photopying equipment, and hand tools. The 15 percent ad valorem additional customs duty will apply to these products.

European Commission Trade Issues Article (2 February 2006):
EU Trade Relations and the Repeal of the Byrd Amendment

Background

On October 28th, 2000, Congress passed the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (the so-called Byrd Amendment), which amends Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930. The Byrd Amendment redistributes anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on an annual basis to affected domestic producers with qualifying expenditures.

In September 2002, a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel ruled that the Byrd Amendment was not in compliance with WTO rules. In November 2004, WTO authorized Canada, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico to rebalance concessions and impose retaliatory duties on U.S. trade.

The European Commission (EC) originally imposed the 15% ad valorem additional customs duty on imports of certain products originating in the United States as from 1 May 2005, resulting from the US's alleged failure to bring the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act (CDSOA) in compliance with obligations under the WTO agreements.
To view the original EC regulation, click here