The Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) is encouraging Philippine exporters to sell to Russia and take advantage of its preferential tariffs under the Eurasian Economic Union Generalized System of Preferences (EAEU GSP).
EMB director Senen Perlada said in a statement the Philippines can expand exports by tapping non-traditional partners like Russia. The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization for regional economic integration. Its member-states are the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Russian Federation.
Products covered by the EAEU GSP are eligible for a 25-percent discount on customs duties. These include food, furniture, and industrial goods.
Food products include meat, fish, fruits, coffee, cacao, coconut products, sauces, and condiments. Furniture, gifts, and houseware in the list are articles of wood, basket ware, artificial flowers, statuettes, ceramics, and imitation jewelry. Also included are industrial goods like natural rubber. These products can also enjoy tariff preference in other EAEU member states.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EAEU has allowed for the submission of an electronic or paper copy of Certificate of Origin (CO) Form A which the exporter needs to provide the Russian importer to avail of the preferential tariff. The exporter will be given six months from the date of registration of the declaration of goods to submit the original CO Form A to the customs authority.
