Mindanao tuna traders gathered in General Santos City last week to discuss the Bush administration’s Andean Trade Preferences Expansion Act (ATPEA) and its impact on the Philippine’s local tuna industry.
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The two-day Tuna Congress was called when local tuna traders expressed concern over the US policy, which gives preferential trade treatment to four countries in the Andean region; Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. By offering them duty-free or reduced-duty access to its markets, the US says that it hopes to remove some of the necessity for drug production in the region.
Jason Magnaye, executive director of Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII), explained however that Philippine tuna traders believe that they will suffer from the Andean export preference because they pay duty of 12%. They intend to lobby for similar privileges and Magnaye told the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies: “We will support them [in the undertaking]”.
The Philippine government revealed that it will use its wholehearted support of the US’ war on terrorism as a negotiating point when lobbying the US for a change to its Andean policy.
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By GlobalData
