PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered that zero tariff be imposed on imported items from Myanmar and Cambodia in accordance with the Asean Integration System of Preferences package.

This is to narrow development gap between older and newer members of Asean and to enhance the new members' integration with the rest of Asean.

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Arroyo, in signing Executive Order 768, directed the elimination of the tariff on certain products from Myanmar such as women's or girl's suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers, dresses, skirts, divided skirts, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts (other than swimwear), knitted or crocheted.

Also to be given zero tariff are trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts, other textile materials, other than ramie, linen, or silk, and men's or boy's shirts, knitted or crocheted from Cambodia.

The elimination of tariff on such products was based on the decision of the Asean heads of government and the Asean economic ministers, at a meeting in Cambodia.

The preference is a unilateral offer made by preference-giving countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) to the preference-receiving countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam). (JMR/Sunnex)

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(December 1, 2008 issue)
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