Gov’t calls for expansion of bilateral agreements
Balita, Philippines
Gov’t calls for expansion of bilateral agreements
5 September 2006
The government has called for an expand bilateral agreements with other countries to improve international market access for Philippine products.
Melito S. Salazar, president of Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CCP), echoed this call following the result of a recent Round Table Discussion by key government officials and from the private sectors hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc.
The workshop- forum "Gaining from the Free Trade Agreements... The What, Why, and How Aspects" sought to address the views of the sectors on what they believe needs to be resolved that will make the Philippines move forward in the area of Free Trade Negotiations.
The discussion also focused on issues related to Multilateral and Bilateral Trade Agreements (MTA-FTA).
This developed following the suspension of the DOHA Negotiations Round and the discussion in the World Trade Organization (WTO) is also on hold.
During the discussion, key presenters have recommended the urgent need for government to map out industry-by-industry assessment as to competitiveness strategies with industry leaders in order to maximize the potentials of the FTA.
There is also the need to know what products are produced in abundance and whose markets that need to pry open.
The presenters also suggested for the government, apart from determining what the country wants, is the identification specifically of its sensitive product/s classifications, in order to ascertain and agree with the private sector what products are negotiable and non-negotiable.
They said that attention should also be given on rules on investments, competition policy, government procurement, transparency and trade facilitation measures.
The upgrading of the technical skills of Filipinos, improving the level of education, developing the country’s infrastructure and logistics systems are also vital in the competitive world, they added.
Two alternative mechanisms for free trade agreements were also discussed. These are to maintain the Committees on Trade matters(TRM) and the creation of an Office of the Philippine Trade Representative (RPTR).
Salazar has expressed hope that the business sector’s voice will be heard as far as creating policy guidelines for negotiating FTAs are concerned.
The proliferation of preferential trade agreements, especially bilateral ones raises new challenges to Philippine policymakers and society.
Although the Philippines is part of the plurilateral ASEAN Free Trade Area and is negotiating closer economic ties with Australia, New Zealand and China together with its ASEAN partners, it is not a party to any bilateral free trade area.
The presenters were Director Ramon Kabigting, Bureau of International Trade Relations of the Department of Industrry (DTI), Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Edsel Custodio, Agriculture Undersecretary Salvador Salacup and Ambassador Donald Dee, president, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (PNA)
