Industry groups propose tariff treatment of sugar, other farm products in EU FTA

INDUSTRY GROUPS have put forward their proposals for the tariff regimes that will govern agricultural products like sugar, milk powder, beef and pork, under the European Union (EU)-Philippines Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Tariff Commission said.

- Justine Irish D. Tabile

The industry proposals were released at a Tariff Commission hearing ahead of the planned exchange of market access offers between the Philippines and the EU, who are expected to wrap up negotiations next year.

‘The two sides are expected to exchange marketaccess offers soon.

“Our recommendation would obviously be exclusion of sugar from the FTA for now, but then we will be studying the possibility if we could have a specific tariff line for muscovado sugar,” Rosemarie S. Gumera, representative of the Confederation of Sugar Producers, said on Tuesday.

Muscovado is an unrefined form of sugar that retains its molasses content.

Ms. Gumera, who is also a former official with the Sugar Regulatory Administration, said the market for muscovado is different from the market for raw and refined sugar.