(TRANSLATED VERSION)

Notification of the Ministry of Finance

No. C 2/2544 (AFTA 18)

Re : Reduction and Exemption of Customs Duty for the ASEAN Free Trade Area

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In execution of the obligations in granting preferential tariff concession to products under the Agreement on the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) Scheme for the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the Protocol to Amend the Agreement on the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) Scheme for the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), the Minister of Finance with the approval of the Cabinet, empowered by Section 14 of the Customs Tariff Decree B.E. 2530 which amended by the Customs Tariff Act (No.1) B.E. 2537, issues the Notification as follows:

1. Cancellation of the Notification of the Ministry of Finance No. C 16/2542 (AFTA 16) Re : Reduction and Exemption of Customs Duty for the ASEAN Free Trade Area dated 29 December B.E. 2542.

2. Products classified in Part II of the Customs Tariff Decree B.E. 2530 with ASEAN Member States origin shall be granted duty reduction and exemption as follows:

(1) Products subjected to duty rates as specified in the Decree or of specific rates as specified in the Decree converted into ad valorem rates higher than the rates specified in the Schedule annexed, their rates shall be reduced to the rates as specified in the Schedule.

If duty rates specified in the Schedule annexed are higher than basic rates, they shall be reducted to that basic rates.

(2) Products specified in the Schedule annexed are granted duty exemption.

3. The duty reduction and exemption under this Notification are subject to rules and conditions as follows:

(1) Only products of the ASEAN Member States origin as specified by the Director General of Customs with the approval of the Minister of Finance in the CEPT Concession Exchange Manual for AFTA shall be subjected to the rates of Type 1 in the Schedule annexed.

If any products are not eligible for duty reduction or exemption to the rates of Type 1, the rates of Type 2 in the Schedule annexed will be applied to such products. However, products of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Union of Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Socialist Republic of Vietnam origin shell be subjected to basic rates.

(2) Products accepted as eligible for the reduction and exemption of customs duty under this Notification shall be supported by a Certificate of Origin (Form D) issued in accordance with the Rules of Origin of the CEPT Scheme for AFTA and additional requirements of such Rules.

(3) Importers shall submit a Certificate of Origin as mentioned in (2) except in the case of consignments of products not exceeding US$ 200.00 F.O.B., the importers of such consignments shall submit assurance documents of the exporters to verify that the products have originated in the exporting Member State in accordance with the Rules of Origin of the CEPT Scheme for AFTA and additional requirements of such Rules.

(4) Importers shall declare the CEPT reference codes as specified in the Schedule annexed in the Import Entry and all of its copies. They shall also follow the procedures and regulations enumerated by the Customs Department.

4. This Notification shall be enforce on the 1 st of January B.E. 2544 (A.D. 2001) except terms that mentioned in paragraph two of (1) of article 3 related to the products of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Union of Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Socialist Republic of Vietnam origin shell be enforce after the date that announced in the Government Gazette.

Notified on this 26th July B.E. 2544.

(Mr. Somkid Jatusripituk)

Minister of Finance

Note : Published in the Government Gazette, general issue vol.118, special chapter 71d, dated 27 July B.E. 2544.

Remark : This translated version shall not be legally authentic.