The Ministry of Industry of Thailand said Wednesday the Philippines’ effort to impose safeguard measures on car imports is illegal as this would be seen as retaliation to the cigarette tax dispute between the two Southeast Asian countries.
A representative of Ministry of Industry of Thailand said during the first hearing of the Philippine Tariff Commission on the proposed additional tariffication of imported cars that “any acts of brinksmanship will erode goodwill in the ongoing discussion and settlement would all be the more difficult.”
Thailand, in opposition to the Philippine proposal, said the move for safeguards would be inconsistent with the Philippine trade obligation under article 1 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade or the most favored nation clause requiring a country to provide any concessions, privileges or immunities granted to one nation in a trade…
