MEASURES are underway to improve the country’s livestock and poultry import regulations amid concerns over non-tariff measures that may be stifling market competition, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said on Thursday, May 29.
The government’s antitrust body said it had held a dialogue with the Anti-Red Tape Authority on May 5. They discussed ways to streamline regulatory processes to boost efficiency while maintaining health and safety standards.
Among the issues raised were inconsistent guidelines and standards that lead to “excessive documentation requirements and procedural delays.”
Non-tariff barriers
“Sanitary and phytosanitary measures and other technical barriers to trade serve as important policy mechanisms for health and safety reasons,” the PCC said.
However, the PCC cautioned that when these measures become “too costly, excessive, or burdensome,” they risk acting as non-tariff barriers that could hamper competition and slow down market activity.
With meat consumption projected to grow annually by 3.45 percent from 2023 to 2028, the PCC cited the need to refine non-tariff measures to facilitate smoother trade and import processes. It sees such improvements as vital to meet increasing domestic demand.
The move to review and improve non-tariff measures in the livestock and poultry sectors is seen as a significant policy direction given the long-standing challenges that have hindered market competition and trade efficiency in these critical industries. (Alden M. Monzon © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
