October 17, 2007

Australia may introduce measures against pork imports

Australia's Productivity Commission will undertake a safeguards inquiry into the impact of pork imports on the Australian industry and also examine recent structural adjustment, ministers announced Wednesday (October 17, 2007).

As a WTO member, Australia can introduce safeguard measures to respond to unexpected and unforeseen increased imports that have caused serious material injury to an industry, should an investigation by a competent authority report such measures are justified.

Treasurer Peter Costello, Trade Minister Warren Truss and Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran asked the commission to provide an accelerated report examining whether critical circumstances exist to justify provisional safeguard measures.

The commission will provide the accelerated report by Dec. 14, with a final report due by the end of March, they said in a statement.

A prolonged impact of drought, compounded by record levels of imported pork and a strong Australian currency affecting exports have brought the industry to the brink of ruin, marketing and service concern Australian Pork Ltd. said a month earlier.

Import volumes are at historical highs, having doubled in the past four years, it said.