RP, RI, Thailand get tuna tariff, quota from EU
RP, RI, Thailand get tuna tariff, quota from EU
Dow Jones, Manila
Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas said on Monday that the Philippines,
together with Thailand and Indonesia, secured a lower tariff rate
and minimum annual imports for canned tuna exports to the
European market.
Roxas said in a statement that the Council of the European
Union approved last week a regulation that will be in place for
five years and will allow the entry every year of 25,000 metric
tons of canned tuna from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand
at an import duty of 12 percent.
The tariff rate quota will be implemented July 1.
The new tariff rate is half the prevailing rate on canned tuna
imported by the E.U., except that from former European colonies
in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific which are imported
duty-free.
The Philippines and Thailand have been protesting the duty-
free importation as discriminatory since last year, and demanding
a more competitive tariff rate. Indonesia belatedly joined the
protest, which reached the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Roxas said France, which held the swing votes that could have
blocked the approval of the tariff rate quota, was persuaded by
Philippine negotiators to withdraw its objection.
France had earlier indicated its plan to block the tariff rate
quota to underscore its displeasure over Thailand's decision to
file dispute proceedings against an E.U. sugar subsidy program
that benefits France.
"This latest development further affirms our efforts in
fighting for better market access for our products in the world
market," said Roxas.
Roxas said the reduced tariff rate and the import quota should
help boost Philippine tuna exports, especially with the accession
of 10 countries into the EU starting next year.
The Philippines exports around 5 million cases of canned tuna
every year, or 60 percent of its total production capacity.
Nearly 40 percent of these are exported to Europe and the U.S.
Canned tuna exports contribute between US$100 million and $200
million to the Philippines' total exports. Sales peaked at $200
million in 1998, but have since declined due to trade
restrictions.