Partner countries of DR-CAFTA should approve any increase in courier tariffs
Treaty obliges notification of any current or projected measure
Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. Any change that the Dominican Republic tries to implement in the collection of taxes on internet purchases should be submitted to consultations in the partner countries of DR-CAFTA, warned the former coordinator of the Special Office for Negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States (DR-CAFTA), Hugo Francisco Rivera Fernandez.
He said that in this agreement a special importance was assigned to the express shipments, with specifications that were accepted by the signatory parties of the treaty, which assures that they grant a special connotation between all of the treaty factors. In addition he feels that the treaty reveals a great interest that the parties have attributed to the shipments and the fulfillment of their aims.
"DR-CAFTA, in chapter 18, paragraph 18.3 obliges the country to notify any current measure or in project. From this will depend, of the partner countries, whether to push the consultation procedure or allege possible violations or damage," he emphasized.
Rivera Fernandez made it clear that in the case of incorporating variables in the shipments of less than US$200, they will then have to apply the tariff rates, and as a consequence, carry out customs procedures of evaluation, revision of norms of origin, customs payments and submit to possible re-liquidations and monitoring of the customers.
In his judgment, it is necessary to be very careful not to apply a measure that causes a relapse for the country.
"The courier shipment and not just shipments, they are business time, they are climate, they are access, they are the capacity to respond quickly, they are flows of commerce, they are air transportation, even so far that thanks to those shipments the perishable farm goods sector can count on air transportation at prices and times that are competitive," he said.
He specified that during the negotiation and later implementation of DR-CAFTA, they have consolidated practices and measures that are conducive to improve the operational environment of the urgent shipments; conduct that he says is in agreement with the purpose of the Treaty of maintaining adequate levels of openness.
"I feel that more than a courier system, they should review the tax loads of commerce that are too much for the merchant and the consumer. They should sit the two sectors in conflict and reach an agreement that will not obstruct the shipment of packages to the Dominican Republic and that commerce is fortified," he noted. The National Organization of Merchant Companies (ONEC), is calling for equal tax treatment for local commerce.
He said that in this agreement a special importance was assigned to the express shipments, with specifications that were accepted by the signatory parties of the treaty, which assures that they grant a special connotation between all of the treaty factors. In addition he feels that the treaty reveals a great interest that the parties have attributed to the shipments and the fulfillment of their aims.
"DR-CAFTA, in chapter 18, paragraph 18.3 obliges the country to notify any current measure or in project. From this will depend, of the partner countries, whether to push the consultation procedure or allege possible violations or damage," he emphasized.
Rivera Fernandez made it clear that in the case of incorporating variables in the shipments of less than US$200, they will then have to apply the tariff rates, and as a consequence, carry out customs procedures of evaluation, revision of norms of origin, customs payments and submit to possible re-liquidations and monitoring of the customers.
In his judgment, it is necessary to be very careful not to apply a measure that causes a relapse for the country.
"The courier shipment and not just shipments, they are business time, they are climate, they are access, they are the capacity to respond quickly, they are flows of commerce, they are air transportation, even so far that thanks to those shipments the perishable farm goods sector can count on air transportation at prices and times that are competitive," he said.
He specified that during the negotiation and later implementation of DR-CAFTA, they have consolidated practices and measures that are conducive to improve the operational environment of the urgent shipments; conduct that he says is in agreement with the purpose of the Treaty of maintaining adequate levels of openness.
"I feel that more than a courier system, they should review the tax loads of commerce that are too much for the merchant and the consumer. They should sit the two sectors in conflict and reach an agreement that will not obstruct the shipment of packages to the Dominican Republic and that commerce is fortified," he noted. The National Organization of Merchant Companies (ONEC), is calling for equal tax treatment for local commerce.
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