Consumer Goods

• Trade and Tariffs
• Tariff Elimination

Trade and Tariffs

Consumer goods include household appliances and other miscellaneous household products, recreational equipment and precious metals. This sector also includes the Uruguay Round sector agreements for Furniture and Toys. Consumer goods accounted for 5.3 percent of total U.S. exports to Australia in 2003, totaling $663 million. The top U.S. exports in this sector are motorcycle engines and parts, sporting and exercise equipment and small personal appliances. Australia’s tariffs range between zero and 15 percent with an average of 2.5 percent in 2003.

Australian exports to the United States totaled $332 million in 2003, or 5.7 percent of total exports to the United States. Australia’s top exports are motorcycle parts, water sport equipment and pearls. U.S. tariffs on consumer goods range from zero to 109 percent, with an average of 3.6 percent.

Tariff Elimination

Australia eliminated all tariffs immediately upon implementation of this agreement, while the United States is using three staging categories. Tariffs for this sector will be eliminated in three staging categories: immediately, four year linear staging, and 10 year linear staging. There are only two consumer good products that will not have immediate tariff elimination; HS 71031040 precious stones has four year staging and HS 95079070 artificial baits has 10 year staging.

Overall, 99 percent of U.S. exports in this sector will be duty-free immediately. Tariffs on less than one percent of U.S. exports will be eliminated over four years and ten years.

Furniture. Both Australia and the United States will eliminate all tariffs on furniture immediately upon implementation of the agreement.

Sporting Goods. Both Australia and the United States will eliminate all tariffs on sporting goods immediately upon implementation of the agreement.

Toys. Both Australia and the United States will eliminate all tariffs on toys immediately upon implementation of the agreement.

International Trade Administration
Manufacturing and Services
Office of Trade Policy Analysis