The United States will remove its tariff-rate quota on Australian lamb exports by 15 November, Trade Minister Mark Vaile said today from Mexico City where he is attending a key meeting of trade ministers of the World Trade Organisation.

 "Overnight I reached agreement with the US Administration on the removal of the import restrictions that have unfairly restricted access for Australian lamb into the US market for the last two years," Mr Vaile said. 

"Under the terms of the agreement, Australia will again have unrestricted access to the US lamb market from 15 November.

"This is a good outcome for Australian lamb producers.  I have negotiated the removal of these unfair trade restrictions much faster than could have been achieved by pursuing further WTO legal action.

"This outcome has been a long time coming for Australian lamb producers, but now at last we have an end in sight for this unfair US import restriction that discriminated against Australian and New Zealand lamb.

"Australian farmers are in a strong competitive position to build on their already impressive export performance of selling 27,800 tonnes last financial year into the US market despite the US tariff measures.  There is clearly strong demand for quality, lean Australian lamb.

"The resolution of this dispute is a strong endorsement for the rules-based international trade system underpinned by the WTO."  The WTO's Appellate Body in May found that the tariff quota imposed by the US was WTO-inconsistent.

"This outcome, along with the continuation of the sheepmeat levy relief until 15 November being announced today by my colleague Warren Truss, puts Australian lamb producers in a strong position to continue their terrific export effort," Mr Vaile said.

"I have never been happy with the time it has taken to remove this measure, but the outcome shows the WTO rules do work for medium-sized countries like Australia which would otherwise have no comeback to unfair trade restrictions.

"This result also provides a strong endorsement to Australia's call for a new round of WTO trade negotiations, so unfair trade rules on agriculture can be rectified and Australian farmers will not face these unfair trade barriers.  This is one of the key messages I will deliver at this meeting in Mexico where Australia is one of a number of countries calling for the launch of a new WTO round at the Ministerial meeting in Qatar in November."