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EUROPEAN
businessmen in the country have joined their Filipino
counterparts in protesting the Bureau of Customs fees in
the use of scanning machines for importer container
vans.
The
European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP)
asked the government to review the planned nonintrusive
container inspection system fees “since [they] would
result in huge losses for companies that import
intermediary and finished products into the country.”
The fees
are $50 and $25 on 40-foot and 20-foot container vans,
respectively. Proceeds will be used to pay the
P5.98-billion cost of the scanners obtained under a
Chinese government grant. (Related story on C4)
Henry
Schumacher, ECCP executive vice president, said the fees
would further increase the already high cost of doing
business in the Philippines. “We have serious concerns
with regard to level of fees levied on companies as it
would put an additional burden on their financial bottom
line. The government should look at alternative measures
of raising revenues without passing costs to the private
sector.”
The
chamber has 700 member- companies involved in
agriculture, banking and finance, business outsourcing,
chemicals, couriers, electronics, engineering, food,
furniture, information technology, logistics,
pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, transport and
waste-management industries.
Earlier,
the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
also opposed the scanning fees for being too high and
contradictory to government efforts to reduce the cost
of doing business.
According to a study made by PCCI’s affiliate Port Users
Confederation, the rates should only be $2 per 20-footer
van and about $4 for the 40-footers.
In South
East Asia only the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam have
yet to install cargo-scanning equipment. |
