An 08 Malaysia Paper on trading
ANNEX 8
AG ENDA ITEM 5.2
Ne two rking o f ASEAN Me mb e r C o untrie s with no n-ASEAN tra d ing p a rtne rs o n
sta nd a rd s, te c hnic a l re g ula tio ns a nd c o nfo rmity a sse ssme nt p ro c e d ure s
MALAYSIA
1.
INTRO DUC TIO N
Te c hnic a l sp e c ific a tio ns a nd re g ula tio ns a re inc re a sing ly b e ing e mp lo ye d in
tra d e . Tho ug h the imp o rting c o untrie s ma y intro d uc e so me no b le re a so ns fo r
suc h me a sure s, se ve ra l o f suc h me a sure s ha ve ina d ve rte ntly b e c o me tra d e
b a rrie rs. De ve lo p ing c o untrie s suc h a s the ASEAN me mb e r c o untrie s a re fa c ing
d iffic ultie s in me e ting with so me o f the a d ministra tive re q uire me nts tha t ha ve
b e c o me inte g ra l to c o mp ly with the te c hnic a l re q uire me nts.
2.
TEC HNIC AL BARRIERS
2.1
Impo rt Re quire m e nts fo r Plywo o d b y Ta iwa n – An Upda te
As re p o rte d
in the
p re vio us me e ting , Ta iwa n ha d
imp o se d
ne w imp o rt
re q uire me nts fo r fo rma ld e hyd e e missio n te st fo r p lywo o d s a nd LVL. The Bure a u o f
Sta nd a rd s, Me tro lo g y a nd Insp e c tio n (BSMI) und e r the Ministry o f Ec o no mic
Affa irs, Ta iwa n, ha s b e e n c o mmissio ne d to imp le me nt this re q uire me nt.
Und e r this re q uire me nt, the re a re two sc he me s a va ila b le fo r the imp o rte rs - the
Typ e -Ap p ro ve d Ba tc h Insp e c tio n (TABI) Sc he me a nd the Re g istra tio n o f Pro d uc t
C e rtific a tio n (RPC ) Sc he me .
The
TABI sc he me
invo lve s b a tc h-b y-b a tc h
insp e c tio n a s the p ro d uc ts re a c h the p o rt o f e ntry in Ta iwa n. Und e r the RPC
Sc he me , e xp o rte rs a nd ma nufa c ture rs a re re q uire d in a d va nc e , to o b ta in
ne c e ssa ry
c e rtific a te / e nd o rse me nt
by
BSMI.
O nc e
the
e xp o rte rs
or
ma nufa c ture rs ha ve o b ta ine d this c e rtific a te / e nd o rse me nt, the y c a n e xp o rt the ir
p ro d uc ts witho ut furthe r insp e c tio n.
1
Ma la ysia c o nd uc te d a te c hnic a l timb e r missio n to Ta iwa n in Ap ril 2007, a nd this
ma tte r wa s d isc usse d with the re le va nt p a rtie s in Ta iwa n. Re c o g nitio n wo uld o nly
b e c o nsid e re d to tho se b o d ie s whic h a re a c c re d ite d to Ta iwa n Ac c re d ita tio n
Fo und a tio n (TAF) a nd BSMI. It wa s the re fo re p ro p o se d tha t, Ma la ysia c o lla b o ra te
with the BSMI, within the p rinc ip a l e le me nts o utline d in MRA o f APLAC , ie . the
sig na to ry a c c re d ita tio n b o d ie s ha ve to e sta b lish mutua l c o nfid e nc e in the
te c hnic a l c o mp e te nc e o f APLAC sig na to rie s a nd the ir a c c re d ite d la b o ra to rie s
a nd insp e c tio n b o d ie s.
2.2
Pro g re ss o f Re visio n o f EN 636 : 2003 Plywo o d Spe c ific a tio n
Pa ne l p ro d uc ts p a rtic ula rly p lywo o d is o ne o f the ma in timb e r p ro d uc ts e xp o rte d
fro m ASEAN me mb e r c o untrie s. The re le va nt sta nd a rd re g a rd ing this p ro d uc t in
the Euro p e a n Unio n is EN 636:2003 Plywo o d – Sp e c ific a tio n. This sta nd a rd is d ue
fo r re visio n in 2008. Und e r the ne w p ro p o sa l, Me ra nti p lywo o d wo uld b e p la c e d in
Dura b ility C la ss 5, whic h is the lo we st c la ss a va ila b le . Sinc e Me ra nti sp e c ie s is
wid e ly use d in ma nufa c turing p lywo o d in ASEAN, this p ro p o sa l is e xp e c te d to
e ffe c t ASEAN e xp o rt to the EU.
The d e ve lo p me nts re g a rd ing this ma tte r ha ve b e e n b rie fe d d uring the 5th
Me e ting o f this PWG . This ma tte r ha s a lso b e e n fo rwa rd e d to AC C SQ fo r furthe r
a c tio n. The re ha s no t b e e n a ny furthe r d e ve lo p me nt o n this ma tte r.
2.3
C la ssific a tio n o f Bo ra te s Unde r C a te g o ry 2 - The Da ng e ro us Sub sta nc e
In e a rly 2007, EC ha d no tifie d the TBT C o mmitte e o f the 30th Ad a p ta tio n to
Te c hnic a l Pro g re ss (ATP) p ro p o sing tha t b o ra te s b e c la ssifie d a s C a te g o ry 2, to xic
to re p ro d uc tio n, und e r the EC ’ s Da ng e ro us Sub sta nc e s Dire c tive .
C a te g o ry 2
sub sta nc e s must c a rry the skull a nd c ro ssb o ne s la b e l. The ra tio na le b e hind this
mo ve is to p ro te c t huma n he a lth a nd the e nviro nme nt. The p ro p o se d d a te o f
imp le me nta tio n is 1 June 2009.
2
Fo llo wing this c o nc e rn, Ma la ysia a nd se ve ra l o the r d e le g a tio ns ha d ra ise d
q ue stio ns a nd c o nc e rns o ve r this p ro p o sa l d uring the TBT C o mmitte e me e ting in
the WTO -TBT C o mmitte e Me e ting whic h wa s he ld in 5-6 July 2007 in G e ne va . At
tha t p o int o f time , the EC info rme d it wo uld d e la y imp le me nta tio n o f the 30th ATP
a nd to re sp o nd to the c o nc e rns WTO Me mb e rs ha d ra ise d .
Rio Tinto Mine ra l, o ne o f the two ma jo r p ro d uc e rs o f b o ra te s in the wo rld ha s
b e e n e ng a g e d in a d isc ussio n with the C o mmissio n to c la rify the e ffe c t o f the
c la ssific a tio n a nd a d vo c a te s re c o nsid e ra tio n o f the a p p ro a c h. US G o ve rnme nt
ha s a lso so ug ht to b ro ke r a c o mp ro mise .
C a te g o ry 2 c la ssific a tio n will ha ve fa r re a c hing c o nse q ue nc e s whic h in turn will
ha ve tra d e re stric tive e ffe c ts suc h a s a uto ma tic b a n use o f b o ra te s (c o uld
e ffe c tive ly b a n b o ra te s in wo o d a p p lic a tio ns), b a n in sa le to g e ne ra l p ub lic o f
ra w p ro d uc ts a nd p re p a ra tio ns in c e rta in c o nc e ntra tio ns a nd will trig g e r se rio us
c o nse q ue nc e s und e r Re g istra tio n, e va lua tio n, Autho risa tio n a nd Re stric tio n o f
C he mic a ls (REAC H). Ma la ysia ’ s c o nc e rn is tha t this p ro p o sa l ma y trig g e r a n a rra y
o f la b e ling a nd c o nte nt re stric tio ns tha t wo uld sig nific a ntly shrink the Euro p e a n
ma rke t fo r b o ra te -c o nta ining p ro d uc ts, suc h a s tre a te d timb e r.
EC ha s no t re sp o nd e d to the c o nc e rns ra ise d in the TBT C o mmitte e . Ma la ysia ha s
a lso re q ue ste d re sp o nse b ut EC re p lie d it is still p re p a ring the re sp o nse a nd ho p e d
to ta b le it a t the up c o ming TBT Me e ting . It wa s a lso le a rnt tha t the Dire c to r
G e ne ra l (DG ) o f Tra d e o ffic e is mo re symp a the tic to the c o nc e rns ra ise d a nd ha d
so me ho w q ue stio ne d DG Enviro nme nt o n the p ro p o se d c la ssific a tio n.
DG
Enviro nme nt ha d p re p a re d d ra ft re p ly to re sp o nd to va rio us c o nc e rns ra ise d b y
Me mb e rs a t the la st TBT Me e ting , b ut d ue to DG Tra d e c o mme nts, the y a re
una b le to fina lise the re sp o nse until the TBT me e ting in No ve mb e r. It a p p e a rs tha t
the issue is a c tive ly d e b a te d within the C o mmissio n itse lf.
In this re sp e c t, c o ntinuing p re ssuring the EC o n this issue wo uld in turn he lp DG
Tra d e to re q ue st DG Enviro nme nt fo r a mo re tra d e frie nd ly so lutio n. As a ma jo r
e xp o rte r o f timb e r p ro d uc ts, so me o f whic h a re tre a te d with b o ro n c o mp o und s,
ASEAN me mb e r c o untrie s sho uld ra ise c o nc e rns o n this issue in o rd e r to c o unte r
this p ro p o sa l.
3
3.
C O NC LUSIO N
ASEAN Me mb e r C o untrie s ne e d to b e vig ila nt o n d e ve lo p me nt o f sta nd a rd s a t
inte rna tio na l le ve l a s we ll a s intro d uc tio n o f te c hnic a l re g ula tio n imp o se d b y
imp o rting c o untrie s.
C urre ntly, the re q uire me nts b y Ja p a n a nd Ta iwa n fo r imp o rt o f p lywo o d a re the
ma jo r c o nc e rn whic h re q uire s p ro a c tive a c tio ns b y ASEAN Me mb e r C o untrie s,
whilst the b o ra te issue sho uld a lso b e mo nito re d to e nsure tha t EC d o e s no t
imp o se tra d e re stric tio n me a sure s.
a g e nda 5.2(RI)
4
AG ENDA ITEM 5.2
Ne two rking o f ASEAN Me mb e r C o untrie s with no n-ASEAN tra d ing p a rtne rs o n
sta nd a rd s, te c hnic a l re g ula tio ns a nd c o nfo rmity a sse ssme nt p ro c e d ure s
MALAYSIA
1.
INTRO DUC TIO N
Te c hnic a l sp e c ific a tio ns a nd re g ula tio ns a re inc re a sing ly b e ing e mp lo ye d in
tra d e . Tho ug h the imp o rting c o untrie s ma y intro d uc e so me no b le re a so ns fo r
suc h me a sure s, se ve ra l o f suc h me a sure s ha ve ina d ve rte ntly b e c o me tra d e
b a rrie rs. De ve lo p ing c o untrie s suc h a s the ASEAN me mb e r c o untrie s a re fa c ing
d iffic ultie s in me e ting with so me o f the a d ministra tive re q uire me nts tha t ha ve
b e c o me inte g ra l to c o mp ly with the te c hnic a l re q uire me nts.
2.
TEC HNIC AL BARRIERS
2.1
Impo rt Re quire m e nts fo r Plywo o d b y Ta iwa n – An Upda te
As re p o rte d
in the
p re vio us me e ting , Ta iwa n ha d
imp o se d
ne w imp o rt
re q uire me nts fo r fo rma ld e hyd e e missio n te st fo r p lywo o d s a nd LVL. The Bure a u o f
Sta nd a rd s, Me tro lo g y a nd Insp e c tio n (BSMI) und e r the Ministry o f Ec o no mic
Affa irs, Ta iwa n, ha s b e e n c o mmissio ne d to imp le me nt this re q uire me nt.
Und e r this re q uire me nt, the re a re two sc he me s a va ila b le fo r the imp o rte rs - the
Typ e -Ap p ro ve d Ba tc h Insp e c tio n (TABI) Sc he me a nd the Re g istra tio n o f Pro d uc t
C e rtific a tio n (RPC ) Sc he me .
The
TABI sc he me
invo lve s b a tc h-b y-b a tc h
insp e c tio n a s the p ro d uc ts re a c h the p o rt o f e ntry in Ta iwa n. Und e r the RPC
Sc he me , e xp o rte rs a nd ma nufa c ture rs a re re q uire d in a d va nc e , to o b ta in
ne c e ssa ry
c e rtific a te / e nd o rse me nt
by
BSMI.
O nc e
the
e xp o rte rs
or
ma nufa c ture rs ha ve o b ta ine d this c e rtific a te / e nd o rse me nt, the y c a n e xp o rt the ir
p ro d uc ts witho ut furthe r insp e c tio n.
1
Ma la ysia c o nd uc te d a te c hnic a l timb e r missio n to Ta iwa n in Ap ril 2007, a nd this
ma tte r wa s d isc usse d with the re le va nt p a rtie s in Ta iwa n. Re c o g nitio n wo uld o nly
b e c o nsid e re d to tho se b o d ie s whic h a re a c c re d ite d to Ta iwa n Ac c re d ita tio n
Fo und a tio n (TAF) a nd BSMI. It wa s the re fo re p ro p o se d tha t, Ma la ysia c o lla b o ra te
with the BSMI, within the p rinc ip a l e le me nts o utline d in MRA o f APLAC , ie . the
sig na to ry a c c re d ita tio n b o d ie s ha ve to e sta b lish mutua l c o nfid e nc e in the
te c hnic a l c o mp e te nc e o f APLAC sig na to rie s a nd the ir a c c re d ite d la b o ra to rie s
a nd insp e c tio n b o d ie s.
2.2
Pro g re ss o f Re visio n o f EN 636 : 2003 Plywo o d Spe c ific a tio n
Pa ne l p ro d uc ts p a rtic ula rly p lywo o d is o ne o f the ma in timb e r p ro d uc ts e xp o rte d
fro m ASEAN me mb e r c o untrie s. The re le va nt sta nd a rd re g a rd ing this p ro d uc t in
the Euro p e a n Unio n is EN 636:2003 Plywo o d – Sp e c ific a tio n. This sta nd a rd is d ue
fo r re visio n in 2008. Und e r the ne w p ro p o sa l, Me ra nti p lywo o d wo uld b e p la c e d in
Dura b ility C la ss 5, whic h is the lo we st c la ss a va ila b le . Sinc e Me ra nti sp e c ie s is
wid e ly use d in ma nufa c turing p lywo o d in ASEAN, this p ro p o sa l is e xp e c te d to
e ffe c t ASEAN e xp o rt to the EU.
The d e ve lo p me nts re g a rd ing this ma tte r ha ve b e e n b rie fe d d uring the 5th
Me e ting o f this PWG . This ma tte r ha s a lso b e e n fo rwa rd e d to AC C SQ fo r furthe r
a c tio n. The re ha s no t b e e n a ny furthe r d e ve lo p me nt o n this ma tte r.
2.3
C la ssific a tio n o f Bo ra te s Unde r C a te g o ry 2 - The Da ng e ro us Sub sta nc e
In e a rly 2007, EC ha d no tifie d the TBT C o mmitte e o f the 30th Ad a p ta tio n to
Te c hnic a l Pro g re ss (ATP) p ro p o sing tha t b o ra te s b e c la ssifie d a s C a te g o ry 2, to xic
to re p ro d uc tio n, und e r the EC ’ s Da ng e ro us Sub sta nc e s Dire c tive .
C a te g o ry 2
sub sta nc e s must c a rry the skull a nd c ro ssb o ne s la b e l. The ra tio na le b e hind this
mo ve is to p ro te c t huma n he a lth a nd the e nviro nme nt. The p ro p o se d d a te o f
imp le me nta tio n is 1 June 2009.
2
Fo llo wing this c o nc e rn, Ma la ysia a nd se ve ra l o the r d e le g a tio ns ha d ra ise d
q ue stio ns a nd c o nc e rns o ve r this p ro p o sa l d uring the TBT C o mmitte e me e ting in
the WTO -TBT C o mmitte e Me e ting whic h wa s he ld in 5-6 July 2007 in G e ne va . At
tha t p o int o f time , the EC info rme d it wo uld d e la y imp le me nta tio n o f the 30th ATP
a nd to re sp o nd to the c o nc e rns WTO Me mb e rs ha d ra ise d .
Rio Tinto Mine ra l, o ne o f the two ma jo r p ro d uc e rs o f b o ra te s in the wo rld ha s
b e e n e ng a g e d in a d isc ussio n with the C o mmissio n to c la rify the e ffe c t o f the
c la ssific a tio n a nd a d vo c a te s re c o nsid e ra tio n o f the a p p ro a c h. US G o ve rnme nt
ha s a lso so ug ht to b ro ke r a c o mp ro mise .
C a te g o ry 2 c la ssific a tio n will ha ve fa r re a c hing c o nse q ue nc e s whic h in turn will
ha ve tra d e re stric tive e ffe c ts suc h a s a uto ma tic b a n use o f b o ra te s (c o uld
e ffe c tive ly b a n b o ra te s in wo o d a p p lic a tio ns), b a n in sa le to g e ne ra l p ub lic o f
ra w p ro d uc ts a nd p re p a ra tio ns in c e rta in c o nc e ntra tio ns a nd will trig g e r se rio us
c o nse q ue nc e s und e r Re g istra tio n, e va lua tio n, Autho risa tio n a nd Re stric tio n o f
C he mic a ls (REAC H). Ma la ysia ’ s c o nc e rn is tha t this p ro p o sa l ma y trig g e r a n a rra y
o f la b e ling a nd c o nte nt re stric tio ns tha t wo uld sig nific a ntly shrink the Euro p e a n
ma rke t fo r b o ra te -c o nta ining p ro d uc ts, suc h a s tre a te d timb e r.
EC ha s no t re sp o nd e d to the c o nc e rns ra ise d in the TBT C o mmitte e . Ma la ysia ha s
a lso re q ue ste d re sp o nse b ut EC re p lie d it is still p re p a ring the re sp o nse a nd ho p e d
to ta b le it a t the up c o ming TBT Me e ting . It wa s a lso le a rnt tha t the Dire c to r
G e ne ra l (DG ) o f Tra d e o ffic e is mo re symp a the tic to the c o nc e rns ra ise d a nd ha d
so me ho w q ue stio ne d DG Enviro nme nt o n the p ro p o se d c la ssific a tio n.
DG
Enviro nme nt ha d p re p a re d d ra ft re p ly to re sp o nd to va rio us c o nc e rns ra ise d b y
Me mb e rs a t the la st TBT Me e ting , b ut d ue to DG Tra d e c o mme nts, the y a re
una b le to fina lise the re sp o nse until the TBT me e ting in No ve mb e r. It a p p e a rs tha t
the issue is a c tive ly d e b a te d within the C o mmissio n itse lf.
In this re sp e c t, c o ntinuing p re ssuring the EC o n this issue wo uld in turn he lp DG
Tra d e to re q ue st DG Enviro nme nt fo r a mo re tra d e frie nd ly so lutio n. As a ma jo r
e xp o rte r o f timb e r p ro d uc ts, so me o f whic h a re tre a te d with b o ro n c o mp o und s,
ASEAN me mb e r c o untrie s sho uld ra ise c o nc e rns o n this issue in o rd e r to c o unte r
this p ro p o sa l.
3
3.
C O NC LUSIO N
ASEAN Me mb e r C o untrie s ne e d to b e vig ila nt o n d e ve lo p me nt o f sta nd a rd s a t
inte rna tio na l le ve l a s we ll a s intro d uc tio n o f te c hnic a l re g ula tio n imp o se d b y
imp o rting c o untrie s.
C urre ntly, the re q uire me nts b y Ja p a n a nd Ta iwa n fo r imp o rt o f p lywo o d a re the
ma jo r c o nc e rn whic h re q uire s p ro a c tive a c tio ns b y ASEAN Me mb e r C o untrie s,
whilst the b o ra te issue sho uld a lso b e mo nito re d to e nsure tha t EC d o e s no t
imp o se tra d e re stric tio n me a sure s.
a g e nda 5.2(RI)
4