Thailand to report on WTO compliance

The World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) is set to meet this week for an update on issues raised by the Philippines over Thailand’s compliance with a ruling about taxes imposed on imported cigarettes, according to a story in The Philippine Star.

A notice posted on the WTO’s website showed that a status report from Thailand on its treatment of cigarettes from the Philippines is part of the agenda of the DSB’s meeting due tomorrow.

In 2011, the WTO ruled that Thailand’s taxes on imported cigarettes from the Philippines violated global trading rules.

The ruling followed a complaint filed by the Philippine government on behalf of Philip Morris Philippines against Thailand before the WTO in 2008.

In October last year, the Philippines posed questions to the Thai government about its decision to prosecute Philip Morris Thailand for alleged under-declaration of customs value on cigarette imports from the Philippines between 2003 to 2007.

The Philippines’ trade undersecretary, Adrian Cristobal Jr, said earlier this month that while Thailand might have complied with recommendations of the DSB, his government wanted to make sure the recent development did not go against the WTO’s decision.