ASEAN certification for
the shrimp industry
Proactively
avoiding trade sanctions
By Jon Fernquest 
The
US is Thailand's biggest market for shrimp, representing about 50% of
Thai shrimp exports.For several years Thailand's shrimp industry endured a grueling fight against US anti-dumping sanctions (Read case study also paper on anti-dumping as veiled protectionist measure).
Six years ago in 2003 a trade association of Shrimp farmers in the US filed an anti-dumping petition against six countries — Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand and Vietnam.
Thailand eventually won the fight and the punitive anti-dumping duties were finally reduced (Read article).
As the Bangkok Post observed a few months ago, "From 2004, US Customs had required exporters subject to anti-dumping duties to post a bond covering the full amount as security against the risk of default."
This burdensome requirement was also finally lifted recently.
Today's article features a lot vocabulary in the area of international trade law (See below).
certificate
(noun) - an official document that shows that certain facts are true
(for example, a school certificate proves you graduated from school, a
cleanliness certficate proves that your workplace is clean, a
certificate of origin proves that your product comes from a certain
place)
certification (noun) - an official process that provides proof that certain standards have been met after tests and inspection, an official document (certificate) to prove that these standards have been met การรับรองคุณภาพ
certify (verb) - provide official proof that something is true (that certain goals have been achieved)
certify shrimp - provide official proof that shrimp meet standards
proactively (adverb) , proactive (adjective) - acting early to solve problems before they occur, anticipate and solve problems before they actually happen
sanctions - punishment for countries that have broken international law (restricting trade and official contact)
a grueling fight - an extremely difficult and tiring fight
dumping - when a manufacturer exports a product to another country at a price which is below its costs of production or below the price it charges in its home market or (See Wikipedia)
anti-dumping sanctions - when one country punishes another country for dumping
veiled - disguised, doesn't look like what it really is
protectionist - policies, ideas, or laws that reduce imports into a country from other countries (See glossary)
veiled protectionist measure - some action that is protectionist but doesn't look like it
a trade association - an organisation joining together all the companies in an industry in a country to represent them and defend their rights
a petition - a formal request made to people with authority (in goverment such as a court)
filed an anti-dumping petition - made a formal request that the government punish another country for dumping
punitive - punishing
duties - taxes paid on imported goods
punitive anti-dumping duties -
customs - the government agency that controls goods entering and leaving a country, checking to make sure they are not illegal and collecting taxes or duties on goods
subject to anti-dumping duties -
a bond - (See Wikipedia)
post a bond covering the full amount as security against the risk of default -
burdensome -
lift a requirement - end the requirement
certification (noun) - an official process that provides proof that certain standards have been met after tests and inspection, an official document (certificate) to prove that these standards have been met การรับรองคุณภาพ
certify (verb) - provide official proof that something is true (that certain goals have been achieved)
certify shrimp - provide official proof that shrimp meet standards
proactively (adverb) , proactive (adjective) - acting early to solve problems before they occur, anticipate and solve problems before they actually happen
sanctions - punishment for countries that have broken international law (restricting trade and official contact)
a grueling fight - an extremely difficult and tiring fight
dumping - when a manufacturer exports a product to another country at a price which is below its costs of production or below the price it charges in its home market or (See Wikipedia)
anti-dumping sanctions - when one country punishes another country for dumping
veiled - disguised, doesn't look like what it really is
protectionist - policies, ideas, or laws that reduce imports into a country from other countries (See glossary)
veiled protectionist measure - some action that is protectionist but doesn't look like it
a trade association - an organisation joining together all the companies in an industry in a country to represent them and defend their rights
a petition - a formal request made to people with authority (in goverment such as a court)
filed an anti-dumping petition - made a formal request that the government punish another country for dumping
punitive - punishing
duties - taxes paid on imported goods
punitive anti-dumping duties -
customs - the government agency that controls goods entering and leaving a country, checking to make sure they are not illegal and collecting taxes or duties on goods
subject to anti-dumping duties -
a bond - (See Wikipedia)
post a bond covering the full amount as security against the risk of default -
burdensome -
lift a requirement - end the requirement
Asean plans to set up body to certify shrimp
Increasing barriers add costs for farmersBy WALAILAK KEERATIPIPATPONG
1/07/2009
The Asean Shrimp Alliance (ASA) is working to establish a regional certification body to verify the production standards of shrimp raised in member countries for exports.
The move, discussed at a meeting in Bangkok yesterday, aims at lessening pressure from buying countries, which have set different restrictive standards against imported shrimp and other types of aquacultural produce.
While the standards, considered by some as safeguard measures, share some similarities, they eventually add to shrimp farmers' costs, according to Somying Piumsombun, the director-general of the Fisheries Department.
"They have to change their production practices to comply with those standards, a move that erodes their export competitiveness," she said.
According to Dr Somying, many Asean countries have played an important role in the world shrimp industry and their production standards are in line with international benchmarks recognised in the global market.
Thailand's shrimp farming, for example, complies with the Thai government's good agricultural practice, which is by no means inferior to the standard set by ACC (Aquaculture Certification Council) of the US, she said.
"The Thai shrimp industry had in the past suffered from nitrofuran residues but we later solved the problem with a lot of improvements and efforts," she said.
Dr Somying said she believes that some countries have imposed restrictive import standards not only to protect local consumers but also for commercial purpose. Tighter rules could end up pushing the prices of imported products.
She admitted that the establishment of the Asean certification body might not be completed in the near future. In any case, the two-day discussion at the ASA's forum ending today would show promising results with clearer guidelines for further works.
ASA was formed in 2007 by Asean members, especially major shrimp producing and exporting countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
These countries have played a significant role in Asia and helped transformed the region into the world's major shrimp production base, accounting for nearly 85% of world production. The major markets of shrimp products are the United States, European Union, and Japan.
Thailand alone produced about 500,000 tonnes of shrimp last year. Of the total output, 90% was exported, generating income of about 80 billion baht. Half of the exports were destined for the US market.
Dr Somying said that the organisation aims to help improve shrimp farming among member countries and overcome export obstacles.
Despite low rejection rates, importers keep setting more purchasing conditions in terms of standards certification such as diseases and some non-tariff barriers over the past five years.
(Source: Bangkok Post, business, Asean plans to set up body to certify shrimp, Increasing barriers add costs for farmers, WALAILAK KEERATIPIPATPONG, 1/07/2009, link)
proof (noun) -
fact, evidence and arguments that shows that something is true
prove (verb) - to use fact, evidence and arguments to show that something is true
a body - an organisation
set up a body - create an organisation
barriers, barriers to trade - laws that make it more difficult for exports from other countries to enter a country as imports
regional certification body - an organisation in a region like ASEAN that officially certifies that standards have been met
standards - acceptable levels of quality มาตราฐาน
production standards - levels of quality that the goods produced in a factory must meet
restrictive standards - standards that restrict what can be produced and how it can be produced (for example, with workers that are paid a reasonable amount and treated fairly)
verify - check and prove that something is true or that standards have been met
verify the production standards - check and prove that production standards have been met
comply with standards - follow the standards, meet the standards
standards certification - issueing an offiicial document that standards have been met
pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something
lessening pressure - be less forceful about people doing something
safeguard - protect
safeguard measures - actions taken to protect something
fisheries - fish farms, places to raise fishes
production practices - the standard ways that a task are done or performed
competitiveness - how well a company is able to maintain or gain customers in a market
export competitiveness - how well a company is able to maintain or gain customers in export markets
erodes their export competitiveness -
in line with - following, agreeing with
benchmarks - standards used to judge how good or bad other things are
international benchmarks recognised in the global market.
complies with the Thai government's good agricultural practice,
by no means inferior to - has equal quality or higher than
aquaculture - the farming of shell fish and plants underwater includes: fish farming, shrimp farming, oyster farming, raising cultured pearls, kelp, seaweed, and algae (See Wikipedia)
ACF (Aquaculture Certification Council) - an NGO for standards certification at aquaculture facilities around the world, includes food safety, environmental, and social standards (See website)
nitrofuran - a kind of drugs used as antibiotics or antimicrobials (See Wikipedia)
antibiotics - a drug that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria (See Wikipedia)
antimicrobials - a drug that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans, as well as destroying viruses (See Wikipedia)
residues - the part that remains after the rest has gone away
nitrofan residues - some of the drug that remains (not good)
imposed - force someone to do something or follow some rule
tighter rules - stricter rules, rules that strongly control an activity
guidelines - instructions or advice about how to do some task
clearer guidelines - instructions that are easy to understand and follow
played a significant role in - was an important part of
transformed - changed
overcome - solve a problem
obstacles - things that make it difficult to so something
tariff - a tax on imports or exports
non-tariff barriers - non-tax-related laws in a country to prevent imports from other countries
prove (verb) - to use fact, evidence and arguments to show that something is true
a body - an organisation
set up a body - create an organisation
barriers, barriers to trade - laws that make it more difficult for exports from other countries to enter a country as imports
regional certification body - an organisation in a region like ASEAN that officially certifies that standards have been met
standards - acceptable levels of quality มาตราฐาน
production standards - levels of quality that the goods produced in a factory must meet
restrictive standards - standards that restrict what can be produced and how it can be produced (for example, with workers that are paid a reasonable amount and treated fairly)
verify - check and prove that something is true or that standards have been met
verify the production standards - check and prove that production standards have been met
comply with standards - follow the standards, meet the standards
standards certification - issueing an offiicial document that standards have been met
pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something
lessening pressure - be less forceful about people doing something
safeguard - protect
safeguard measures - actions taken to protect something
fisheries - fish farms, places to raise fishes
production practices - the standard ways that a task are done or performed
competitiveness - how well a company is able to maintain or gain customers in a market
export competitiveness - how well a company is able to maintain or gain customers in export markets
erodes their export competitiveness -
in line with - following, agreeing with
benchmarks - standards used to judge how good or bad other things are
international benchmarks recognised in the global market.
complies with the Thai government's good agricultural practice,
by no means inferior to - has equal quality or higher than
aquaculture - the farming of shell fish and plants underwater includes: fish farming, shrimp farming, oyster farming, raising cultured pearls, kelp, seaweed, and algae (See Wikipedia)
ACF (Aquaculture Certification Council) - an NGO for standards certification at aquaculture facilities around the world, includes food safety, environmental, and social standards (See website)
nitrofuran - a kind of drugs used as antibiotics or antimicrobials (See Wikipedia)
antibiotics - a drug that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria (See Wikipedia)
antimicrobials - a drug that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans, as well as destroying viruses (See Wikipedia)
residues - the part that remains after the rest has gone away
nitrofan residues - some of the drug that remains (not good)
imposed - force someone to do something or follow some rule
tighter rules - stricter rules, rules that strongly control an activity
guidelines - instructions or advice about how to do some task
clearer guidelines - instructions that are easy to understand and follow
played a significant role in - was an important part of
transformed - changed
overcome - solve a problem
obstacles - things that make it difficult to so something
tariff - a tax on imports or exports
non-tariff barriers - non-tax-related laws in a country to prevent imports from other countries
