Building Products

• Trade and Tariffs
• Tariff Elimination

Trade and Tariffs

The building products sector includes various building and construction products in HS chapters 25, 68 to 70, and 94. The United States exported $10.9 million worth of building products and other materials to Oman that accounted for approximately 3 percent of total U.S. non-textile industrial exports to Oman in 2003. Pre-fabricated structural components lead U.S. exports in this sector, accounting for 73 percent of total U.S. building products exports.

Oman applies a 5 percent tariff to building products.

Oman’s exports to the United States in this sector were approximately $725,000 in 2003, or about 0.18 percent of the Oman’s total industrial exports to the United States. Monumental and building stone accounted for 73 percent of Oman’s total exports in this sector.

The United States applies tariffs from 0 to 13.5 percent on these products, with an average of 2.6 percent. The highest U.S. duties apply to ceramic roofing tiles.

Tariff Elimination

The U.S.-Oman FTA will eliminate all industrial tariffs in the United States and Oman within 10 years of implementation. Tariffs will be phased out according to three tariff elimination categories: 1) immediate elimination, 2) equal cuts over 5 years, and 3) equal cuts over 10 years.

Currently, the United States grants 46 percent of building products duty-free treatment. Upon implementation of the agreement, 97 percent of building products from the Oman will enter the United States duty-free. Duties on ceramic tiles from Oman will be phased out equally over a 10-year period. Oman will grant 100 percent of building products from the United States duty-free treatment immediately upon implementation of the agreement.

International Trade Administration
Manufacturing and Services
Office of Trade Policy Analysis