To Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition From Imports of Lamb Meat

President Clinton issued a proclamation imposing a 3-year tariff-rate quota on imports of fresh, chilled, or frozen lamb meat to address a USITC finding that increased imports threatened serious injury to the domestic lamb industry. The quota excludes products from Canada, Mexico, Israel, CBERA and ATPA beneficiary countries, and certain developing countries, with the tariff modifications taking effect July 22, 1999.

Federal Register Open PDF 64 FR 37389

Impact dates

Jul 8, 2002
quota continues for 3 years plus 1 day from effective date unless modified or terminated earlier
Jul 22, 1999
tariff-rate quota takes effect for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse

Key directives

establish tariff-rate quota on lamb meat imports in specified HTS subheadings
exclude Canada, Mexico, Israel, CBERA/ATPA beneficiaries, and certain developing countries from quota
authorize USTR to reallocate underutilized quota quantities to other countries
modify HTS subchapter III of chapter 99 as specified in annex
supersede inconsistent prior proclamations and executive orders

Who is ordered

United States Trade Representative · USTR

Timeline

Immediate

tariff-rate quota takes effect July 22, 1999 at 12:01 a.m. EDT

Near term (90d)

initial quota allocation implementation
potential USTR reallocation of underutilized quotas

Long term

3-year plus 1 day duration of quota regime
annual increases in within-quota quantities in years 2 and 3
potential for earlier modification or termination

Risks & tensions

trade dispute risk with excluded vs. included countries
potential WTO challenge to safeguard measure
quota allocation method may create competitive distortions
USTR reallocation authority provides flexibility but creates uncertainty