FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
U.S. MISSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

 Last update: May 4, 2006

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Byrd Amendment Retaliation

On April 25, 2005, the Council established additional customs duties on imports of certain products originating in the U.S.  The retaliatory measure, an additional duty of 15 percent on certain paper, agricultural, textile and machinery products, entered into force on May 1, 2005. 

The EU was authorized by the WTO to impose retaliatory measures against the U.S. in November 2004.  The level of retaliation is based on the latest distribution of duties made under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act (known as the Byrd Amendment).  According to the Commission, this level is revised annually to adjust to the level of damage caused to EU companies by the Byrd Amendment.  Adjustments are made by adding or removing products carrying additional duties or by amending the rate of additional duty.  The products are taken from an agreed list, notified to the WTO in November 2004. 

On May 1, 2006, the European Commission added 8 new products to the list of targeted products (Commission Regulation No 632/2006).  Frozen sweet corn is still the only agricultural product and was included in the former target list (Council Regulation 673/2005).

- "EU welcomes repeal of Byrd Amendment; regrets transition period" - European Commission Press Release (Feb. 2, 2006)