Government wants footwear included in US-GSP scheme

The Philippine government has requested the US for the inclusion of footwear products in its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez reported this after his bilateral meeting with the US Trade Representative Barbara Weisel on the sidelines of the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings here.

At present, the US slaps a 15 percent tariff on the country’s exports of footwear to the US.

“With their positive response on the inclusion of leathergoods in the GSP, we now pushed for the inclusion of the footwear in the scheme,” he said.

The Philippines hopes the inclusion of footwear under a new US-GSP law as the existing GSP will expire in December this year already.

The Philippine request followed after Lopez met with the American Apparel and Footwear Association to push for the inclusion of footwear as among the eligible products under the US-GSP scheme.

Lopez said the USTR was very supportive to some of his proposals just like what happened to the travelgoods.

The USTR, he said, has also put emphasis on the Philippine standing as a long time ally of the US and trade partner.

“They put more weight on our historical relationship,” he said. (BCM)