Arguing that the import quota allocated for this year was reached, Panama applied a special safeguard measure on certain fractions of pork products originating in the USA.

The measure applies to pork in carcasses or half carcasses, legs, shoulders, and their bone-in pieces, hams, and pork ribs, so now importers will have to pay a regular tariff of between 40% and 70% to import pork from the aforementioned U.S. country.

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From the MICI statement:

04-02-2019. The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) applied a special agricultural safeguard measure on certain fractions of pork products originating in the United States by means of Resolution No. 002 of April 2, 2019 of the National Directorate for the Administration of International Trade Treaties and Trade Defence.

This special agricultural safeguard applies for the second consecutive year, when the volume or level of imports that empowers Panama to activate this protection mechanism for national production is reached, in accordance with what was agreed in the Trade Promotion Treaty in force between Panama and the United States.

With the application of this special safeguard measure, imports of covered products originating in the United States are subject to an increase in the payment of import duties equivalent to the levels applicable before the entry into force of the CPC which are between 40% and 70% until the end of the year 2019; contrary to those which would correspond to them on the basis of the preferential duties applicable during the present year which are between 31% and 54%.

“We consider that both the application of this special safeguard measure for the second consecutive year, as well as the modification of the Resolution of quota control measures under the ´Primero Llegado/Primero Servido´ mechanism, for the allocation of the U.S. pork quota that began to be applied last year, constitute effective mechanisms that allow maintaining control of these imports in defense of domestic production,” said MICI Minister Néstor González.