Asean market faces hitch on chemicals

NAREERAT WIRIYAPONG Bangkok Post 21.08.2009 18:31

Asean integration may have hit a snag with fresh moves by Indonesia and the Philippines to delay a plan to remove all petrochemical tariffs by the beginning of next year.

Petrochemical firms in Indonesia are lobbying their government to postpone by one to two years the tariff elimination agreed by the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The move is aimed especially at protecting polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production, said Arin Jira, chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council.

As a result, doubts have arisen over the prospect for full integration into a single market and production base under the Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 2015, he said at a seminar held by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

"Our stance is to stand firm with the commitment to eliminate the tariffs next year. If we agree to delay this plan, other things already agreed might have the same fate," added Mr Arin, also an FTI deputy secretary-general.

Source

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