EC urged to adopt level playing field

The Philippines is urging the European Commission (EC) to adopt a level playing field for canned tuna exporters, noting that the issue has been on the agenda for nine years.

Philippine canned tuna is subject to a tariff of 12 percent while canned tuna from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations enjoy duty-free access to the EC market.

Likewise, Philippine canned tuna is subject to a limited quota. Exports exceeding that quota are subject to a higher tariff.

The request was made during the Fifth Philippines-European Commission Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) held in Manila last Monday and Tuesday.

The meeting was co-chaired by Edsel Custodio, Foreign Affairs undersecretary for international economic relations, and Eneko Landaburu, director general for external relations of the EC.

Other senior officials present during the meeting were assistant secretary Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson of the Office of European Affairs, DFA, Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, head of the European Commission delegation to the Philippines, assistant secretary Ramon Kabigting of DTI, Seamus Gillespie, head of unit, South East Asia EC directorate general for external relations, and NEDA deputy director general Rolando Tungpalan.

Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOM) are held on a bi-annual basis to facilitate high-level discussions regarding the RP-EC partnership.

Senior officials reviewed developments in RP-EC relations since the last meeting held in Brussels in February 2005.

The two sides discussed bilateral and regional cooperation programs, and welcomed the strengthening of the partnership.

Aside from the tuna issue, both parties identified biofuels as an area where cooperation can be developed, including the harmonization of biofuels standards and application to vehicle technologies endorsed by ASEM leaders in ASEM 6 and the EC proposal on an integrated energy and climate change package.

The EC panel, for its part, expressed concern over what they described as discriminatory excise taxes imposed on imported distilled spirits from the EU.

Both sides agreed to work together to address residual issues.