MALACANANG
Manila
BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXECUTIVE ORDER
NO. 484
MODIFYING THE RATES OF DUTY ON SUGAR AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER
THE TARIFF AND CUSTOMS CODE OF 1978, AS AMENDED, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE
PREFERENTIAL TARIFF RATES THEREON UNDER THE COMMON EFFECTIVE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF
(CEPT) SCHEME FOR THE ASEAN FREE TRADE AREA (AFTA)
WHEREAS, the
transfer of raw and refined sugar from the Philippines' CEPT Temporary Exclusion
List to its Sensitive List was approved by the ASEAN Ministers during the 33rd
ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting held in Vietnam in September 2001 and
subsequently reflected in the First Protocol to Amend the Protocol on Special
Arrangements on Sensitive and Highly Sensitive Products signed on
September 2004;
WHEREAS, Executive Order 230
signed on 26 July 2003 provided tariff concessions on imports of raw and refined
sugar in consideration of the AEM approval of the Philippine request to transfer
subject articles to its Sensitive List;
WHEREAS, Article III of the Protocol
on the Special Arrangement for Sensitive and Highly Sensitive Products signed on
30 September 1999 prescribes the tariff reduction of sensitive products;
WHEREAS, on 20 December 2005,
the NEDA Board approved the 2006 - 2008 CEPT rate schedule for raw and refined
sugar;
WHEREAS, Sections 104 and 102 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978 (PD
1464), as amended, empower the President of the President of the Republic of the
Philippines, upon the recommendation of the National Economic and Development
Authority, to increase, reduce or remove existing protective rates of import
duty, as well as to modify the form of duty;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of
the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:
SECTION 1.
The articles specifically listed in Annex "A" hereof, as classified under
Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, shall be subject
to the ASEAN CEPT rate in accordance with the schedule indicated opposite each
article. The ASEAN CEPT rates so indicated shall be accorded to imports
coming from ASEAN Member States applying CEPT concession to the same product
pursuant to Article 4 of the Agreement on the CEPT Scheme for the AFTA (CEPT
Agreement) signed on 28 January 1992 and its Interpretative Notes.
SECTION 2.
In the event that any subsequent change is made in the basic (Most Favored
Nation) Philippine rate of duty on any of the articles listed in Annex "A" to a
rate lower than the rate prescribed in Annex "A". such article shall
automatically be accorded the corresponding reduced rate of duty.
SECTION 3.
From the date of effectivity of this Order, all articles listed in Annex "A"
entered or withdrawn from warehouses in the Philippines for consumption
shall be imposed the rates of duty therein prescribed subject to qualification
under the Rules of Origin as provided for in the CEPT Agreement.
SECTION 4.
All presidential issuances, administrative rules and regulations, or parts
thereof, which are contrary or inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 5.
This Executive Order shall take effect immediately following its complete
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.
Done in the City of Manila,
this 29th day of December in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Five.
Signature of the President
By the President:
EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary
to view Annex "A"
