WTO: Interactive Service Gives Tariff Research New Sophistication

A new service was added to the WTO’s set of tools for finding out information on customs tariffs on 3 February 2010. The latest addition, “Tariff Analysis Online”, is the WTO’s most versatile so far. It includes the greatest available level of detail on the tariffs that WTO members have legally bound and the rates they are actually charging, summary import statistics, and the ability to analyse these interactively.
Tariff Analysis Online draws on two WTO databases: the Integrated Database (IDB) of tariff and import data, and the Consolidated Tariff Schedules, which contains WTO members’ commitments on tariffs and agricultural subsidies.
It provides users with flexible search criteria and produces a range of analytical reports – the results of the searches – covering both tariffs and imports, in detail and summary levels. Users can manipulate the analysis online and download and print the resulting reports.
The development of the new service is in line with the Market Access Committee’s decision of 13 July 2009 to make detailed information on tariffs available to the public.
The existing Tariff Download Facility is simpler and would be the service of choice for users looking for more basic information. It provides standardized statistical information on bound, applied and preferential tariffs on products defined in slightly less detail, by Harmonized System (HS) six-digit codes, with the ability to compare between countries swiftly.
A third service, the World Tariff Profiles, provides similar information to that of the Tariff Download Facility but for broader product categories.

Philippines: Comprehensive tariff review starts on Monday

The Tariff Commission Monday starts a comprehensive review on most favored nation tariff from HS (Harmonized System) 1-97 of the Tariff and Customs Code covering 11,490 tariff lines with rates ranging from 0 to 65 percent in an effort to assist business in their strategic planning in the next four years.

Tariff Commission Chairman Edgardo B. Abon said the comprehensive tariff review is necessary because the current Comprehensive Tariff Program (CTP) is only up to December 31, 2010.

“Our Tariff and Customs Code is up to 2010 only, so we are doing this to bring out the rates for 2011 to 2015,” Abon said.

MFN tariffs cover the duty rates on imports coming from countries that the Philippines has no trade agreements. At present, the country has free trade agreement with ASEAN, China, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

“The objective of this review is to make the CTP user friendly, to assist business in doing their strategic planning for the next four years,” Abon added.

The business community is keenly interested in the CTP review because tariff is part of the cost of doing business. The setting of a four-year CTP provides predictability to business.

During the week-long public consultations, Feb. 8-12, Abon said that industry stakeholders can ask for increase, decrease or for retention of existing tariffs but this would still be evaluated by the government in consideration of the other sectors.

Abon also explained that the Commission is not doing the tariff review because of the World Trade Organization but rather, “This is good for the country, not WTO.”

He also stressed that the country’s existing tariff rates are, by far, lower than the bound rates set by the WTO.

Source http://www.mb.com.ph