DESIRING to enhance trade between the Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Thailand and to further promote intra-ASEAN trade;
REITERATING their commitment to liberalize trade in unprocessed agricultural products under the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) Agreement and to address the balance between domestic and regional interests in order to achieve the broader goal of the region in becoming the ASEAN Economic Community;
RECALLING the goal of ASEAN to promote the ASEAN integration and to adhere to the spirit of the ASEAN Economic Community;
REFERRING to the Philippines submission of her rice tariffs in line with said products being part of her Highly Sensitive List;
The Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Commerce of the Kingdom of Thailand,
Hereby agree as follows:
5.1) Exchange of information between the
National Food Authority of the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the
Philippines and the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce of
the Kingdom of Thailand related to rice trade, production, consumption and
price;
5.2) Establishment of a consultative mechanism to effectively improve rice trade between the Philippines and Thailand, and
5.3) Facilitation of direct business linkage between rice exporters and rice importers of the two countries.
6. The National Food Authority of the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines and the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce of the Kingdom of Thailand shall be the agencies to implement this MOU, subject to the existing laws, rules and regulations of government procurement of both countries.
This MOU shall enter into force from the date of signing until thirty-first of December in the year Two Thousand and Fourteen.
Done in duplicate in the English language in Hanoi, Vietnam on the eighth of April in the year Two Thousand and Ten.
(Sgd.)
JESLI A. LAPUS (Sgd.) ALONGKORN PONLABOOT
Secretary of Trade and Industry Deputy Minister of Commerce
Entry into Force: April 8, 2010