Exporters call for review of self-certification process

EXPORTERS and other stakeholders are requesting for further review of the Asean self-certification second pilot project in the Philippines before its full implementation this year.

Their concerns and apprehensions were aired during the first consultative meeting organized by the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion on this project for the Asean self-certification system for certificates of origin (CO) held in Makati recently.

Major critical concerns raised were the documentation requirements, evaluation criteria on the application as certified exporter, inclusion of traders to the project and third party invoicing.

These issues were part of the draft Customs Administrative Order (CAO) and Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) concerning this policy.

This second pilot project was initiated by the Philippines together with Indonesia and Lao PDR in November 2011, said officer-in-charge Angelo Salvador Benedictos of the Bureau of International Trade Relations of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in his presentation during the consultation.

The move aims to be a parallel effort to the first pilot project that was participated in by Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore in 2010. Both projects aim to facilitate trade of ASEAN originating products in the region.

By moving away from the conventional CO system, the self-certification scheme hopes to help lessen the cost and time of doing business by reducing exporters' compliance and the issuing authorities' administrative costs associated with the application for COs. (PR)