USDA updates list of products subject to additional import duties
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service has updated its list of farm products that may be subject to increased import duties under the safeguard provisions of the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Agriculture.
Article 5 of the WTO agreement provides that additional import duties may be assessed on imports if certain conditions aren’t met.
Additional duties may be charged if the price of an individual import shipment falls below the average price for similar goods imported during the years 1986-88 by a specified percentage. It also allows increased duties to be imposed if the volume of imports of an agricultural commodity exceeds the average of the most recent three years.
For a complete list of the agricultural commodities subject to these safeguards, access online: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-14064.htm.