Asean trade sector takes action on rules of origin

Asean trade sector takes action on rules of origin

The Lao trade sector is teaming up with other Asean countries to work on improvements to some crucial regulations and adding more content to important documents in relation to “Rules of Origin (ROO)”.

The arrangement of this process aims to back up trade promotion and support integration as part of the Asean Economic Community integration scheduled to come into force at the end of next year.

The 16th Meeting of Sub Coordinating Committee on Asean Trade in goods Agreement (ATIGA) Rules of Origin (SCAROO) is a consultancy meeting that aims to negotiate and further refine the rules of origin of products in the marketplace.

Senior trade officials from Asean state members met in Vientiane yesterday to discuss improvements to regulations related to the rules of origin and the Asean Trade in goods Agreement (ATIGA). It will conclude today.

In discussions yesterday it was negotiated for the removal of Free on Board (FOB), which is the costs borne by manufacturers in transporting their goods to the nearest port, from the certificate of origin (Form D) after the issue was raised by several Asean state members including Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.

Representing Laos as the host country, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s Department of Import and Export organised this meeting.

Several issues being discussed at the meeting are the continuous reform of the rules of origin, private sector inputs on rules of origin and the implementation issues surrounding rules of origin.

In his speech, the department’s Deputy Director Mr Khemdeth Sihavong told the meeting that,” This is an essential platform for our senior participants to discuss many different pending issues from previous meetings.”
He said this meeting also allowed the participants from different Asean member countries to hear the progress of the project implementation on the Self – Certification Pilot Project.

The outcomes of the 16th Sub Coordinating Committee on Asean Trade in goods Agreement (ATIGA) Rules of Origin (SCAROO) will be reported to the 16th Meeting of the Coordination Committee on the Implementation of the Asean Trade in goods Agreement (CCA).

A subsequent CCA meeting will also be held in Vientiane from October 22-24, which expects to approve the consequences of SC-AROO.

vientiane times