Changes to border protection for selected agricultural products

• Increased border protection for selected products is essential to Norwegian food production
• Changes are fully consistent with Norway’s international commitments
• Change to “ad valorem” duties for only one out of six import cheeses
• No price hikes or reduced variety of imported products next year
• New import quota for beef from developing countries secures increased imports

The Norwegian government proposes to change from specific duties to ad valorem duties for six tariff lines comprising beef steaks and fillets, lamb carcasses and hard cheeses. Changes take effect from 1 January 2013. 

- Food production is as important for me as the climate issue. The proposed change in import duties is essential to Norwegian food production, says Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, minister for agriculture and food. 

Agriculture and food production is found throughout the country and is an important industry. 

- The government intends to develop and strengthen Norwegian food production. Border protection is a prerequisite for achieving this objective, says Vedum. 

He points out that the present specific duties have been gradually weakened in the period after 1995. In addition, he states that the change will not make it more expensive or difficult to buy imported cheese. Vedum also underlines the proposal to introduce a new import quota for beef from developing countries. The government proposes an import quota of 500 tons beef steaks and fillets from developing countries at reduced duties. This will secure existing trade and give some room for increases up to 500 tons. 

Two out of fourteen tariff lines for cheese
The changes include two out of fourteen tariff lines for cheese. In addition, (see annexed table) fourteen import cheeses within these two tariff lines, are exempt from the switch to ad valorem duties.

For cheeses with ad valorem duties, imports through the duty free import quota from the EU are available. This quota is increased in 2012 from 4500 tons to 7200 tons. The proposal implies no changes in Norwegian concessions for EU exports of agricultural products to Norway. Trade in cheese from the EU will continue with no increase in import duties in total. 

The proposal is fully consistent with our international trade obligations. Norway is prepared to meet the European Commission at expert level to explain the proposed changes to ad valorem duties. 

- This is a reasonable compromise which stimulates important parts of Norwegian agriculture and also increases the variety of products in the retail chains, says Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, minister of agriculture and food. 

The attached table shows the proposed changes to import duties.

Ad-valorem duty for certain agricultural tariff lines 

Changes to ad-valorem duty for meat

Nr	Description	Duty 2012	Proposed duty 2013
02.01	Meat of bovine animals, fresh or chilled.
.3001	- - Beef steaks and fillets	119,01 kr/kg	344%
02.02	Meat of bovine animals, frozen.
.3001	- - Beef steaks and fillets	119,01 kr/kg	344%
02.04	Meat of sheep or goats, fresh, chilled or frozen.
.1000	- Carcasses and half-carcasses of lamb, fresh or chilled	32,49 kr/kg	429%
.3000	- Carcasses and half-carcasses of lamb, frozen	32,49 kr/kg	429%

 
Changes to ad-valorem duty for cheese

Nr	Description	Duty 2012	Proposed duty 2013
04.06	Cheese and curd.
	- - Other :
.90911	- - - other, unpasteurized	27,15 kr/kg	---
.90922	- - - Appenzeller, Beaufort, Comté, Gamle Ole, Grana Padano, Gruyère, Le Vieux Panè, Morbier, Munster, Parmiggiano Reggiano, Queso Manchego, Pecorino, Saint Albray, Västerbotten	---	27,15 kr/kg
.90981	- - - other, unpasteurized	---	277%
.9099	- - - other	27,15 kr/kg	277%

1) Tariff line 04.06.9091 is discontinued, and is replaced by tariff line 04.06.9098.
2) New tariff line. The duty for these cheeses is 27,15 kr/kg in 2012.
3) New tariff line.