Metals and Ores

• Trade and Tariffs
• Tariff Elimination

Trade and Tariffs

The ferrous ores and metals sector is defined by the Uruguay Round sectoral initiative on steel. Ferrous ores and metals accounted for 2.2 percent of total U.S. non-textile industrial goods exported to Oman in 2003, totaling approximately $8 million. The leading U.S. exports in this sector were iron and steel containers and seamless, steel drill pipes.

Oman applies either no tariff rate or a 5 percent tariff on imports of ferrous ores and metal products. The average applied tariff for the sector was 4.86 percent.

United States imports of ferrous ores and metals from Oman in 2003 totaled approximately $6 million, and accounted for 1.5 percent of total non-textile industrial imports. The sector’s leading imports from Oman were iron pipes and aluminum building products.

U.S. tariffs range from 0 to 15 percent on non-ferrous metal products and 0 to 6.2 percent on steel products. The highest U.S. tariffs are applied to titanium products. The average applied tariff for the sector was 1.4 percent.

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.

The United States currently grants 61 percent of all ferrous ores and metals products duty free treatment. As a result of the Uruguay Round sectoral initiative on steel the United States grants duty free treatment to 99 percent of steel imports. However the United States only grants 18 percent of non-ferrous metal duty free treatment. Upon implementation of the agreement, the United States will grant immediate duty free treatment to100 percent of all metal product imports from Oman.

Oman applies a 5 percent duty on 97.5 percent of all metal product imports. 100 percent of non-ferrous metal products and steel products are subject to the 5 percent duty. Immediately upon implementation of the agreement, Oman will grant duty free treatment to all metal product imports from the United States.

International Trade Administration
Manufacturing and Services
Office of Trade Policy Analysis