The government has found no cause to temporarily raise tariff on newsprint imports, according to an official of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Manila.
The trade office has conducted a preliminary investigation, and has forwarded the matter to the Tariff Commission but without a recommendation of provisional safeguard measures, which may range from tariff hike to import ban, Walter van Hattum, head of the trade and commercial section of the EU Delegation in Manila said.
Trust International Paper Co. (Tipco) early last year asked the Department of Trade and Industry to impose safeguard measures on newsprint imports, saying the practice has damaged its operations.
The EU is among the trading partners affected by the petition of Tipco to impose safeguard duties on newsprint imports, as safeguard measures are, in general, directed toward all the trading partners of the complainant-country. The EU, along with other countries trading with the Philippines, has been actively following the case as the imposition of safeguard measures is deemed a “drastic move” to protect the domestic industry.
“There was a hearing in the Tariff Commission last December, and they decided not to place provisional duties which is a good sign,” van Hattum said.