A PROPOSAL by the United States to unilaterally change the rules of origin for textiles and apparel has been condemned by the Philippines Government.
The changes are to be considered in a bill being put before the United States Congress to implement the recent successful completion of the Uruguay Round of world trade talks.
The US proposal would assign origin to the country in which textiles are produced rather than to the country in which the products are cut and finished, as is the present criterion.
The Philippines said in a strongly worded statement that the American proposal was an attempt to make circumvention of protectionist trade restrictions through transshipment of textiles more difficult.
Concern was expressed by the Philippines over the fact that the world's leading economy appeared to be considering adopting measures in contravention of the Uruguay Round agreement on free international trade.
The protest by the Philippines is expected to become a leading topic over the next three days.
