Asian Free Trade Agreements facilitating exports from Myanmar
Oct 07, 2010. The ASEAN market is becoming more and more important for Myanmar timber exports after the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand reduced import tariffs on all products to 0-5% in January 2010 to comply with the AFTA agreement. Countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam are due, by 2015 to reduce the tariff levels to 0- 5%. At present, all wood and timber product exports from Myanmar enjoy zero export duties.
Oct 07, 2010. /Lesprom Network/. The ASEAN market is becoming more and more important for Myanmar timber exports after the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand reduced import tariffs on all products to 0-5% in January 2010 to comply with the AFTA agreement. Countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam are due, by 2015 to reduce the tariff levels to 0- 5%. At present, all wood and timber product exports from Myanmar enjoy zero export duties, ITTO reported.
In addition, the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a programme effective in Japan and Republic of Korea, provides zero tariff treatment for some imports from developing countries including value-added timber products from Myanmar.
The recent agreement with China, the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area effective from January 2010, has also proven to be effective in improving Myanmar timber exports to China.