USTR Seeks Comments on Expansion of WTO List of Duty Free Pharmaceutical Ingredients

March 15, 2010

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is accepting written comments regarding the expansion of the list of pharmaceutical products subject to reciprocal duty elimination by certain members of the World Trade Organization through April 9, 2010. Specifically, TPSC seeks comments on additions to the lists of pharmaceutical active ingredients; prefixes and suffixes that could be associated with an active ingredient in order to designate its salt, ester or hydrate form; or chemical intermediates intended for the manufacture of pharmaceutical active ingredients.

During the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, the U.S. and 16 trading partners agreed to the reciprocal elimination of duties on approximately 7,000 pharmaceutical products and chemical intermediates. This duty-free “Pharmaceutical List” has been updated several times since, with the latest update taking effect January 1, 2007.

For more information on what products could qualify for duty free treatment and how to submit comments, please contact a Barnes/Richardson attorney.