ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
Summary of ASEAN
Economic Community
Blueprint 2025
© 2015 Wong & Partners 45
ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025
• Focus: to facilitate seamless movement of goods, services, investment, capital and skilled labour within ASEAN
A Highly Integrated and Cohesive Economy
• Focus: to improve region’s competitiveness and overall productivity A Competitive, Innovative, and Dynamic ASEAN
• Focus: enhance economic connectivity involving various sectors and to further integrate and cooperate in key sectors to maximise their contribution in improving the overall competitiveness of ASEAN and strengthening soft and hard networks in the region Enhanced Connectivity and Sectoral Cooperation
• Focus: to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, higher quality of life and the benefits of community building, reinforcing our sense of togetherness and common
identity
A Resilient, Inclusive, People-Oriented, and People-Centred ASEAN
• Focus: to work towards a common position and enhance ASEAN’s role and voice in global economic fora
A Global ASEAN
The AEC Blueprint 2025 will build on the AEC Blueprint 2015 consisting of five interrelated and mutually reinforcing characteristics, namely:
ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025
‒ The immediate priority is to complete the implementation of
measures unfinished under the AEC Blueprint 2015 by end-2016.
‒ The continuing commitments of Cambodia, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Viet Nam (“CLMV”) under the AEC Blueprint 2015 up to 2018 are also incorporated under the AEC Blueprint 2025.
© 2015 Wong & Partners 47
ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025
integrated and deeplyhighly cohesive ASEAN economy
more equitable and inclusive
economic growth in ASEAN
robust productivity growth through
innovation, technology and human resource development and
regional R&D
promote good governance, transparency, and responsive
regulatory
widen ASEAN
people-to-people, institutional, and
infrastructure connectivity create a more
dynamic ASEAN, capable of responding and adjusting to new
challenges incorporate a
sustainable growth that promotes a science-based use of green technology
and energy promote ASEAN
Protocol on Enhanced Dispute
Settlement Mechanism (EDSM)
and speedy DR methods reinforce ASEAN centrality in the
emerging regional economic architecture
common position and
enhance ASEAN’s role
and voice in global economic
fora
Focus areas of the AEC 2025
Status of Trade Facilitation
Measures
© 2015 Wong & Partners
Country Updates - Malaysia
‒ Self-certification for manufacturers registered with MITI implemented under ATIGA
‒ National Single Window fully implemented w.e.f. 1 January 2016 under “U-customs” system
‒ Proposed platform under “U-customs” to replace the existing
ePCO (electronic preferential certificate of origin) system to accept applications for the cost analysis and application for endorsement of any certificate of origin
‒ Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status with Japan
49
Country Updates – Malaysia (Cont’d)
‒ Implementation of the ASEAN Common Technical Requirements and ASEAN Common Technical Dossiers through the revised March 2015 Drug Registration Guidance Document issued by the National
Pharmaceutical Control Bureau under the Ministry of Health
‒ Implementation of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Agreements for Engineering Services and for Architectural Services through the Engineers (Amendment) Act 2015 and the Architects (Amendment) Act 2015
‒ New Guidelines on Financial Penalties and Leniency Regime published by the Malaysian Competition Commission
© 2015 Wong & Partners
Singapore
‒ Singapore Customs implemented ASEAN Self-Certification Scheme from 1 November 2010
‒ Singapore Customs chaired the ASEAN Task Force to develop the ASEAN Harmonised Tariff Nomenclature (“AHTN”) 2012
AHTN incorporated into TradeNet system
‒ Singapore is a signatory to the following Mutual Recognition Agreements (“MRAs”):
i. Agreement on the ASEAN Harmonized Cosmetic Regulatory Scheme;
ii. Agreement on the ASEAN Harmonized Electrical and Electronic Equipment (“EEE”) Regulatory Regime
iii. ASEAN Agreements on Traditional Medicines and Health Supplements (anticipated to be signed in November 2015)
‒ Singapore implemented removal of requirement to state FOB
value in Box 9 of ATIGA Preferential CO Form D in specific cases.
51
Country Updates - Indonesia
‒ As part of the economic deregulation package in Indonesia, the government has issued several regulations in relation to the trade sector (particularly regarding Non Tariff Barrier) e.g. MOT
Regulation 50/2015 and MOT Regulation 73/2015;
‒ MOT Regulation 50/2015 revokes the requirement of Special Importer Identification Number for import clearence;
‒ MOT Regulation 73 /2015 revokes the requirement to obtain label certificate for import clearance. That said, certain goods must still bear required labels before they can be distributed in Indonesia.
‒ The Indonesian government is also under ongoing discussion to revise several regulations related to import licenses.
© 2015 Wong & Partners
Country Updates - Thailand
‒ Customs Act (No.21) B.E. 2557 (2014) on transit, transshipment and advance rulings for customs tariff classification, customs value and origin of the imported goods
‒ Proposed new Customs Act for more transparent and flexible
customs procedures, to make customs procedures more efficient, and to be in line with a context of AEC, on 21 July 2015
53
New regulations for advance ruling
Details Previous ruling Current ruling
Three types of advance ruling available:
1. Customs valuation 2. Tariff classification 3. Rule of origin
Legally binding
Validity period
(Two years)
Service fees
(THB 2,000)
© 2015 Wong & Partners
Proposed new Customs Act
Issue Current law Proposed law
1. Reward sharing system
Relevant officers
- Up to 25 percent of penalties with no cap Informants
- Up to 30 percent of penalties with no cap
Relevant officers
- Up to 15 percent of
penalties with a cap of THB 5 million per case
Informants
- Up to 30 percent of
penalties with a cap of THB 10 million per case
2. Customs offence All the custom offences for smuggled goods, evasion of duty, and evasion of
prohibition have the same penalty level.
Different degrees of penalty for different offence levels.
Proposed new Customs Act
Issue Current law Proposed law
3. Time period for post-audit
No time limitation 5 years from the date of import or export
4. Timeframe for
consideration of the Appeal Committee
No timeframe 180 days from the date of receiving an appeal
5. Timeframe for
claiming duty refund
2 years from the date of import or export
3 years from the date of import or export
6. Duty surcharge No cap Capped at an amount equal to duty shortfall
© 2015 Wong & Partners
Proposed new Customs Act
Issue Current law Proposed law
7. Power to seize or attach the
properties of debtors
N/A Customs officers have
authority to seize and attach the properties of debtors (like revenue officers) 8. Importation date of
restricted goods
The importation date is at the time when the vessel enters into Thai territory.
It is deemed that the restricted goods import into Thailand when there is a customs clearance of such
restricted goods.