Modifying the Nomenclature and Most-Favored-Nation Rates of Duty on Various Agricultural Products

June 15, 2007 EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 627 MODIFYINGTHE NOMENCLATURE AND MOST-FAVOREDNATION (MFN) RATES OF DUTY ON VARIOUSAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE TARIFF AND CUSTOMSCODE OF 1978, AS AMENDED, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENTTHE PHILIPPINE COMMITMENT ON RICE UNDER THE WORLD TRADEORGANIZATION (WTO) AGREEMENT ONAGRICULTURE WHEREAS, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture embodies the rules and commitments of WTO members in improving market access and promoting fairer competition in agriculture; THESAD WHEREAS, Annex 5 of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, otherwise known as the "special treatment," provision, provides for restriction on imports of primary sensitive agricultural products subject to strictly defined conditions; WHEREAS, the Philippine government applied for a seven (7) year extension of the Special Treatment on rice under Annex 5 of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture until 2012; WHEREAS, Paragraph 9, Section B, Annex 5 of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture mandates the Philippine government to compensate other WTO member countries by reducing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) rates of duty on certain agriculture products for the requested seven (7) year extension of the special treatment on rice; WHEREAS, the modification and rectification of Schedule LXXV of the Philippines took effect on 27 December 2006; WHEREAS, Section 402 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, empowers the President to modify import duties for the promotion of foreign trade. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order: SECTION 1. The articles specifically listed in "Annex A" hereof, as classified under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, shall be subject to the rates of import duty in accordance with the schedule indicated opposite each article. SECTION 2. The Nomenclature and the rates of import duty on tariff headings not enumerated and those listed but represented by the symbol "X X X" shall remain in force and effect. SECTION 3. Upon the effectivity of this Executive Order, the articles specifically listed in the aforesaid Annex "A" which are entered or withdrawn from warehouses in the Philippines for consumption shall be levied the rates of duty herein prescribed. SECTION 4. All other Presidential issuances, administrative rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby revoked or modified accordingly. SECTION 5. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines. DONE in the City of Manila, this 15th day of June, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seven. ANNEX A Hdg. AHTN Code Description Rate of Duty (%) (1) (2) (3) (4) 02.07 Meat and edible offal, of the poultry of heading 01.05, fresh, chilled or frozen. - Of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus: 0207.11.00 to 0207.13.00B --- x x x 0207.14 -- Cuts and offal, frozen: 0207.14.10A to 0207.14.30B ---- xxx 0207.14.90 --- other 0207.14.90A ---- Mechanically deboned or separated meat 5 0207.14.90B ---- Other, In-Quota 40 0207.14.90C ---- Other, Out-Quota 40 - Of Turkeys: 0207.24.00 to 0207.26.00B --- xxx 0207.27 -- Cuts and offal, frozen 0207.27.10A --- xxx 0207.17.10B --- xxx 0207.27.90 --- Other 0207.27.90A --- Mechanically deboned or separated meat 5 0207.27.90B --- Other, In-Quota 30 0207.27.90C --- Other, Out-Quota 40 - xxx 0207.32 to 0207.36.90B ---- xxx 10.06 Rice. 1006.10 - Rice in the husk (paddy or rough): 1006.10.00A --- xxx 1006.10.00B ---- Other, In-Quota 40 1006.10.00C ---- Other, Out-Quota 50 1006.20 - Husked (brown) rice: 1006.20.10 -- Thai Hom Mali rice 1006.20.10A --- In-Quota 40 1006.20.10B --- Out-Quota 50 1006.20.90 -- Other 1006.20.90A --- In-Quota 40 1006.20.90B --- Out-Quota 50 1006.30 - Semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed: -- Fragrant rice: 1006.30.15 --- Thai Hom Mali rice 1006.30.15A ---- In-Quota 40 1006.30.15B ---- Out-Quota 50 1006.30.19 --- Other: 1006.30.19A ---- In-Quota 40 1006.30.19B ---- Out-Quota 50 1006.30.20 -- Parboiled rice 1006.30.20A --- In-Quota 40 1006.30.20B --- Out-Quota 50 1006.30.30 -- Glutinous rice (pulot) 1006.30.30A --- In-Quota 40 1006.30.30B --- Out-Quota 50 1006.30.90 -- Other: 1006.30.90A --- In-Quota 40 1006.30.90B --- Out-Quota 50 1006.40.0 - Broken rice 1006.40.00A --- In-Quota 40 1006.40.00B --- Out-Quota 50 12.05 Rape or colza seeds, whether or not broken 1205.10.00 - Low erucic acid rape or colza seeds 1 1205.90.00 - Other 1 16.02 Other prepared or preserved meat, meat offal or blood 1602.10 to 1602.20.00 - xxx - Of poultry of heading 01.05 1602.31.00 -- Of turkeys: 1602.31.00A --- Mechanically deboned or separated meat 5 1602.31.00B --- Other, in airtight containers 40 1602.31.00C --- Other, not in airtight containers 40 1602.32 to 1602.90.90B --- xx Published in The Manila Times on June 28, 2007 and in the Official Gazette, Vol. 103, No. 32, p. 5103, August 6, 2007.