Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Workshop on Facilitating SME Trade through Better Understanding of

Non-Tariff Measures in the Asia Pacific Region for the Agriculture, Processed Food and Handicraft Sectors

21-22 September 2015Iloilo Convention Center, Iloilo City, Philippines

Workshop Synthesis

1. Introduction

1. This is the second of two workshops, which the Philippines had organized under the APEC SME Working Group. The workshops were on Facilitating SME Trade Through Better Understanding of Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) in the Asia Pacific Region for the Agriculture, Processed Food and Handicrafts Sectors. The first was held at Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The Iloilo workshop was held on the margins of the 41st SMEWG Meeting and the 22nd SME Ministerial Meeting. The one in Atlanta was done on the margins of the 40th SMEWG Meeting.

2. To provide the representatives of MSMEs and industry organizations, policy makers, and trade specialists from APEC member economies the opportunity to discuss the opportunities as well as challenges affecting MSME trade in agricultural and processed food products.

o To enhance awareness of MSMEs about non-tariff measures, particularly the rationale behind their application on trade, the problems faced by MSMEs related to the application of NTMs, sources of information about these measures, and possible measures to address issues faced by MSMEs related to the application of NTMs by member economies.

o To identify possible actions for APEC economies to take to facilitate the trade of MSMEs and to promote their participation in global value chains.

o To determine how MSMEs may best be assisted by trade promotion offices (TPOs) and business support organizations.

3. The workshop focused on agriculture, processed foods, and handicrafts. In Atlanta, only agriculture and processed foods were covered.

4. The workshop was held for one and half days and attended by 80 participants. Many of the participants come from the Philippine MSME community.

2. Session 1: Understanding Non-Tariff Measures

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5. Mr. Jurgen Richtering, Chief Market Access Intelligence, WTO and Mr. Mndher Minouni, Chief Market Analysis and Research International Trade Commission (ITC) were the resource persons in this Session. Moderator: Ms. Agnes Perpetua Legaspi, Assistant Director of the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

6. Jurgen Richtering defined NTMs as legitimate regulations that affect cross border flows of goods and services.

7. The speaker stressed that in the present world of very low tariff barriers, NTMs have become more important. The measures will increasingly diversify and become more complicated. The international classification system for NTMs as developed by UNCTAD shows the diverse array of measures.

8. It is therefore important for SMEs to understand these measures in order to better handle them. The problem is that these measures can deviate from their original legitimate objectives, and accordingly become trade barriers.

9. The GATT/WTO has recognized the potential misuse and came up with series of agreements, including those on sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, customs valuation, import licensing, rules of origin, trade facilitation and other accords.

10. The speaker took up recent challenges on NTMs: labeling, proliferation, blurring of official and private requirements, lack of negotiated disciplines, lack of transparency and private standards. Private standards are not mandatory, but if SMEs want to target specific markets which require them, then they need to meet such standards.

11. Monitoring the use of NTMs is done through a system of notifications. Every new NTM has to be notified to the WTO, and for some measures that are already in place the obligation is to be done every six months.

12. Trade policy reviews are very general, and contain information important to academics, trade negotiators, but not to SMEs.

13. The speaker then introduced and walked the participants through the WTO’s Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (ITIP). It is a database that the WTO members populate through the notification system. It has at the moment over 25,000 measures. These cover TBTs, SPS measures, trade remedies, special safeguards, tariff rate quotas, and state trading enterprises. Currently the WTO plans to add customs valuation, rules of origin and pre-shipment inspection measures to ITIP.

14. Mondher Minouni talked about the program of the ITC on NTMs. He pointed out how a country’s regulations on imports can be unnecessarily complex, that it essentially becomes a trade barrier. For example, France requires that oranges exported should have required specifications on color and size. An SME selling mayonnaise to Switzerland would have to meet the 3-language labeling requirement. Even private retailers come up with their own standards. Traceability or identity preservation have become SPS measures.

15. The SMEs do not find the proliferation of NTMs a problem per se. It is the administrative burden they go through to comply with them, e.g. lack of laboratories in their countries

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accredited to certify the product. More than half of the problems about NTMs for SMEs are in compliance, rather than on NTM proliferation.

16. Another problem is on procedural obstacles: several institutions to get certifications from for the same product; poor business environment, (e.g. high cost of doing business, lack of infrastructure, etc.).

17. The ITC has an active program on NTMs aimed at addressing the constraints to SMEs on lack of information on NTMs.

18. The institution conducts a survey on NTMs from about presently 26 countries, and it has plans to do the same for about 80 countries in the world. They gather information on NTMs and voluntary or private standards; classify these standards; come up with global reference standards; and analysis and self-assessment tools and diagnostic reports on the use of NTMs of countries covered by these surveys.

19. Part of the information collected is perceptions of SMEs on procedural obstacles; actual implementation practices of countries. It is more caving in to the requirement of exporters particularly SMEs to sift reality from the written regulation or rhetoric. The information becomes important to exporters in deciding if market access for them in these countries is really open or their exports can be competitively viable given how these countries administer their NTMs.

20. The speaker talked about some of the survey results: 56% of the problems in NTMs in manufacturing are in procedural obstacles; 38% in agriculture. Philippines and Indonesia are concerned about fresh fruit regulations. 31% of the concerns in Indonesia are on rules of origin. If one is exporting to EU, it is quality requirements that weigh down the flow of SMEs exports.

21. The speaker stressed that market access begins at home, i.e. referring to streamlining of regulations that reduce the cost of doing business. Transparency is important.

3. Session 2: Identifying Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade Which May Affect Market Access

22. The second session was devoted to specific NTMs such as SPS and TBT measures. Jurgen Richtering was the resource person for Session 2 on SPS measures and TBTs. Moderator: Ms. Agnes Perpetua Legaspi.

23. The SPS measures intend to protect human or animal health from risks arising from additives, contaminants, toxins or disease organisms in food, drink, or feedstuff; human life from plant or animal-carried diseases; animal or plant life from pests, diseases, disease-causing organisms; and the country from other damage caused by entry, establishment or spread of pests. The measures require product criteria; quarantine measures; processing requirements; certification; inspection; testing; health-felted labeling.

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24. The WTO’s Agreement on SPS recognizes the right of members to protect human, animal or plant life or health. It provides disciplines how to exercise the right so that it does not become an unnecessary trade barrier.

25. The SPS agreement of the WTO presumes members to be consistent if their exports conform to international standards. SPS standards are set following international standards. There are three institutions in the world, which are mandated to develop standards: Codex Alimentarius Commission for food safety; World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for animal health; and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for plant health.

26. Another provision requires members to base their SPS measures on international standards, guidelines and recommendations. This is the minimum. Members may strengthen their standards if needed by the risks they face. Departures from these standards require risk assessment. The use of the procedure is to justify scientifically if a departure is appropriate for the issue raised by the member.

27. Members may provisionally impose SPS measures when relevant scientifically information is insufficient and on the basis of available information. However the members imposing these have the obligation to obtain additional information to assess the risk; and review the measure within a reasonable period of time.

28. Transparency is important. Members imposing new measures shall establish an equity point and designate a notification authority. They shall notify other members of new or changed SPS regulations when no international standard exits, or the new regulation is different than the international standard; and regulation may have significant effect on trade.

29. The TBT agreement like SPS, allow members to pursue legitimate objectives, such as providing information about the product. The use of these measures ought to be done in a way that avoids unnecessary barriers to international trade. These shall be applied in a non-discriminatory manner between like products. The use of international standards is encouraged. Notification obligations are provided for in the case of new or amended TBT measures.

30. TBT measures cover technical regulations and standards as these apply to all products (industrial and agricultural). Conformity assessment procedures are spelled out by the agreement.

31. TBT measures cover standards and technical regulations. The former are voluntary and the latter are mandatory. The measures likewise conformity assessment procedures. TBTs are defined according to the type of measure, e.g. labeling, marking, or processing. SPS measures are defined according to objectives, i.e. to protect animal health.

32. The resource person walked the participants through on the use of the WTO’s ITIP to find measures concerning the exports of SMEs.

4. Session 3: Hurdling Market Entry Requirements for Agriculture and Food Products

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33. The resource persons are: Ms. Cecilia Dela Paz, Director, Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers and Mr. Bruce Harsh, Director, Distribution and Supply Chain, US Department. Moderator: Mr. Senen Perlada, Director, Export Marketing Bureau, Philippines

34. Ms Dela Paz said that compliance with regulations is critical to the continued growth of food businesses. The Philippine Food Chamber, which she represents, has taken the mission of ensuring that the food products its members are distributing are compliant with regulations, safe and nutritious, and adequate in supply. The more experienced members mentor food business operators, 99.6% of whom are MSMEs, on how they can become compliant with regulations on food safety and nutrition, and on making their food businesses sustainable. The Chamber calls this program “Big Brother mentoring Small Brother”. Typically, the MSMEs are the suppliers/subcontractors of the “big brother” the large food conglomerates.

35. Business start up costs can be high and time-consuming. These hurdles can break small and micro food businesses. These include getting business permits, licenses, and getting their businesses and products registered. Some of the food-based MSMEs may never get to go past these entry hurdles, putting a lot of innovations to waste, according to the resource person.

36. If entry costs are surmounted, there are the market hurdles to ensure the products are safe and nutritious. The five common are (1) getting safety, ISO, GMP, and/or HACCP certificates; and complying with (2) nutrition labeling; (3) other Labeling; (4) product standards; and (5) food additives maximum limits. Having a different standard/regulation for each export destination country dampens agriculture and food exports, particularly harder on the exports of the MSMEs.

37. In the case of food certificates, the resource person lays down the options. One may get an international certification such as ISO 22000, which is very ideal since the product with the certificate is accepted in more export destinations. But the cost of getting one is high. There are regulations on facilities, which results in the exporter adjusting existing one to comply with standards, or purchase new facilities, which are already compliant); and those on technical processes of manufacturing products, for which the exporter would have to hire technical experts to advise them on how to comply. For MSMEs this option may tend to be unaffordable, as typically their respective scales of business is limited.

38. The second option is getting a national certificate. The acceptance of the food product with a national certificate is only in the territory of the issuing government, unless the latter has mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with the governments in export destination countries. Negotiating such MRAs is the task of governments, and without the support from the latter MSMEs may not be able to hurdle food certification using national certificates with MRAs.

39. MRAs are facilitated with the harmonization of food certification standards, or having a standards union. Unfortunately, getting such a union is a tedious process. The resource person cited five years to unifying standards. For example, HALAL standards typically vary from country to country. The lack of unified HALAL system slows down the process of mutually recognizing national certificates from governments within the standards union.

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40. The resource person noted that while the landscape is such that measures to protect health and environment may vary from country to another, international standards can be used as basis for alignment. The CODEX alimentarius can be use to ensure free flow of goods without compromising food safety.

41. The resource person suggests using international standards, and encouraging more MRAs among APEC economies.

42. Mr. Bruce Harsh talked about global supply chains in food, agriculture and handicrafts. Value chains are end-to-end processes. The search is on for countries, which can supply the most competitive supply of these inputs. Half of the manufactured imports are sourced in intermediate inputs. There is competition among supply chains in final markets and even in the sourcing of their respective intermediate inputs.

43. Two concerns arise in the management of supply chains. One is supply chain risk, i.e. how close to markets is the chain; how low can production cost go down; how exposed to fuel prices; how concentrated are the chains to key operational elements; and if risks arise, how concentrated are the key operational elements; and how are risks sourced.

44. The other concern is resiliency. How flexible are the chains to interruption or shocks? Are security issues in operations are a permanent cost.

45. Activities involving supply chain is a major US economic driver. Total spending in 2014 was 1.45 tln. while their average annual share in US GDP is 8.3%. Transportation cost is a key element among cost components in supply chains, particularly freight transportation and personal transport. Other components include private fleets, inventory, logistics management and administration, as well as passenger transport.

46. Trends are that freight capacity will double in 2013, and as such the share of freight to total transportation rising to 70%. There is a rising international middle class. The pressure to modernise supply chain systems is strong. Managers have to see where to reduce costs and to improve the flow of goods to export markets by using cold-chain systems for agricultural exports.

47. Regulatory reform is important. In the US, recent reforms include streamlining of the trade regulatory systems, e.g. 20+ government agencies requiring 130+ forms to clear imports or 8 government agencies requiring 40+ forms to clear exports; use of single window systems and connecting customs border protection, the trade community, and government agencies to advance security in trade flows.

48. Mr. Harsh stressed the need to match policy to business. Government goals include transparent regulatory systems; providing environment conducive to global competition; improving economic and operational competitive of firms and the number of jobs; and a policy environment that matches market reality, home and abroad.

49. There is increased policy focus on the greening of supply chains, the use of IT solutions, safety measures and regulations and security.

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50. In agriculture and food, up to 40% of exports is lost in post-harvest pressing and transportation; inefficient inventory management; and improper practices in food transportation leading to bacteria introduction and food borne illnesses.

51. In handicrafts/consumer goods, efficient supply chains create opportunities to introduce handicrafts into global markets. Intellectual property issues appear to be a major concern.

52. The resource person concluded on the importance of getting as much information about regulations enforced by a given market in deciding whether to export agriculture and food products to that market. According to him, global losses of US MSMEs reach 750 billion dollars annually. Trade agreements, government websites, and other sources of information need to be studied. He also stressed the importance of SMEs being involved with trade associations. The government is an important source of information and assistance for MSMEs, when they decide to export.

5. Session 4: Hurdling Market Entry Requirements for Handicrafts

53. The resource persons for this Session are: Ms. Venus Genson, the Chief Executive Officer, Art n Nature Mfg. Corp., Cebu, Philippines; and Ms. Wu Junqui, Coordinator, Trade Development, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan are the resource persons in the Session on handicrafts. Moderator: Ms. Jeannie Javelosa, President, ECHOsi Foundation and Director, ECHOstore.

54. Ms. Genson talked about the hurdle that a company like hers had to go through in order to export to Thailand. Her company exports Indigenous décor and houseware. ISO certification is required in Thailand, and going through it her company obtained a 34 mark. She pointed out that this is not a requirement in in the Philippines.

55. Understanding the buyers’ challenges is important. The partnership of the company, academe, and the government sectors is important to succeed. She said community plus creativity equals global connectivity.

56. Ms. Junqui represents the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). It comprises 41 countries. China is the no. 1 exporter in bamboo products to the EU and the United States. One challenge for bamboo and rattan exporters is understanding the consumer market for it.

57. The exporters work with the community. They outsource their work to partners in the community. It is important therefore to invest in training for information sharing to build the capability of developing countries to export handicrafts made from bamboo and rattan.

6. Session 5: Role of Trade Promotion Offices and Business Support Organizations in Trade Facilitation

58. The following are the resource persons for this session: Ms. Jean Rogers, COO, WEConnect International; Mr. Senen Perlada, Director, Export Marketing Bureau-Philippines; Mr. Yukifumi Yamaguchi, Director, Office for International Cooperation, Ministry of Economy,

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Trade and Industry; and Ms. Jeannie Javelosa, President, ECHOsi Foundation and Director, ECHOstore. Moderator: Ms. Flordeliza Leong, Assistant Vice President, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.

59. Ms. Rogers took up the important development challenge of helping women-based businesses internationalize. Women make over 70% of consumer purchasing decisions. They own millions of businesses serving all industries. Yet, they still have to compete and win larger contracts. They invest most of their income into their families and communities.

60. WEConnect, the organization that the resource person is the COO of has companies as members, companies that help women-based businesses. WEConnect certifies that their member companies help women-owned businesses. There are procurement opportunities for these businesses. These may be in oil and gas companies, which need intermediate supplies; coffee-related services; or in other businesses. Yet presently, women owned businesses have yet only a percent of corporate or government spending coursed through them.

61. What is a women-controlled business? It is one with the following attributes. It has equity of at least 51% being held by one or more women. Or it is one that is managed by a female principal. Women make the key decisions regarding the company’s finances, operations, personnel and strategy.

62. There are many global NGOs offering women direct access to buyers. WEConnect had trained 7000 women from 90 countries. It built and maintains a proprietary eNetwork comprising 6,000 women-owned businesses. The organization is in 17 countries with half of the world’s population.

63. Mr. Perlada talked about his agency’s export development and promotion framework. Head of the Philippines’ Export Marketing Bureau, the resource person referred to a pyramid, where the base of it is the economic development policy. At the mid-layer is on industry regulation and trade development policies; at the top layer there activities aimed at promoting exports and developing capability to exports.

64. The Philippine export development and promotion comprise strong linkages with industry. The assistance relies on the private sector to drive exports. The government enables export development and promotion through policies.

65. In trade facilitation, the government has the Export Development Council. It has 8 cabinet level members as well as the private sector members, representing the major trade associations. Among the reforms supported by the Council is reducing trade costs. Particularly, they look at the time, cost, and documents required to import or export. Streamlining the business processes of commodity agencies through the single window illustrates the kind of assistance that the Council supports.

66. Mr. Yamaguchi talked about the role of the Office that he represents in assisting Japanese SMEs internationalize. The Office of International Cooperation is the support organization of the Government of Japan for SMEs. It has 9 regional head offices, 9 SME training institutes, and 4,300 registered experts providing professional support; and a fund for building up the capability of SMEs to do business and internationalize.

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67. The world-wide business support for SMEs comprises a network of public sector agencies, private companies, overseas companies, and registered partners. There are about 1.5 million SMEs wanting to internationalize. The support given to SMEs is for participation in trade exhibition in Japan and overseas. It includes pre-exhibition plans and after exhibition follow up assistance.

68. Ms. Javelosa talked about the support her organization provides women-controlled SMEs. The Echostore (e.g. store, a market, or café) is a space made available for women-SMEs. It works to advance such development objectives as making SME businesses of women sustainably profitable, fair trade, culture, and green, (which she differentiated as not certified organic).

69. The organization promotes the supply chain approach involving women as suppliers in global value chains. GREAT (i.e. Gender Respnsive for Economic action for the Transformation of women) is an organization of women helping women up the value chain.

7. Session 6: Role of e-Commerce, Logistics and Finance in Trade Facilitation 70. The resource persos of the session include Mr. Francis Norman Lopez, Chairman, Pan Asian

E-Commerce Alliance; Mr. Jimmy Pang, Vice President, Development Supply Chain Security Association, Hong Kong, China; and Ms. Alicia Say, Trade- Van, Taipei. Moderator: Mr. Bruce Harsh, Director, Distribution and Supply Chain, US Department of Commerce

71. Mr. Lopez talked about the Pan-Asian ecommerce alliance comprising business executives from four economies (Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei) in the APEC region. The organization’s objectives are to provide the infrastructure and platform in support of a reliable, safe, secure real-time cross border exchange of e-documents. These documents can be used in mutual recognition of certifications and even in legal disputes.

72. The Alliance’s product is the Pan Asia Exchange. The platform enables MSMEs find buyers of their products or link up to suppliers of their input requirements. The platform does profiling of possible suppliers, and is an e-market place. It provides assistance in accessing trade finance, based on a business model currently implemented in Chinese Taipei.

73. The PA exchange is an e-market place that the Philippine economy has plans to accredit as among the market places that may help implement the Iloilo Initiative.

74. The other Pan Asia Alliance initiatives include: Global halal exchange; e-certificate of origin exchange; e-SPS exchange; Trade2cash collaboration.

75. Mr. Pang talked about integrating security measures in trade flows. It is facilitating trade through supply chain security. The threats to security are large. These may come from natural disasters, criminal political human errors or management problems. For example, the Malaysian Air System 370 carried 440 pounds of dangerous batteries, which may cause fire. He talked about a potential financial loss of about 1.4 trillion USD.

76. He supports getting more traders become authorized economic operators (AEO). The AEO system is compliant with the World Customs Organization SAFE 2011. Among the various

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supply chain standards, e.g. RA for industrial products; National EU ACC3 US CTPAT; Commercial FSR (TAPA), the WCO AEO has the most comprehensive standards.

77. These entities can be AEOs: manufacturers, importers, exporters, brokers, carriers, consolidators, intermediaries, ports, airports, terminal operators, etc. The AEO has certified about 14,000 AEOs. The US and EU have the largest number of AEOs. China has third largest. In the Philippines, there are only 10 AEOs. Accreditation as an AEO entitles the company to reduce its trade transactions cost.

78. Ms. Say, talked about an innovative financial service, now implemented in Chinese Taipei and Malaysia by the Pan Asia Alliance, the Trade2cash program. It addresses a common hurdle of SMEs particularly in export business: poor credit access. Banks are naturally cautious about lending to SMEs. An SME receives an order from a stranger in a foreign country on open account terms, i.e ship irst before payment? It is likely that the SME would decide not to. The number of fast and faster LC based transactions is getting lower: from 30% before. To only 12%. It is now based on open account.

79. As a seller, the SME receives order with 3 months to deliver. It pays for its production cost. It gets the order and ships but the payment is bill of lading plus 90 days for a total credit exposure of about 180 days.

80. The SME has disadvantage in accessing credit from banks. A typical SME has low level of disclosure of financial data; lacks credit rating and risk assessment tools; and banks require many documents involved in international trade requirements. If the banks lend, they do so at high risk margin. 1% vs. 3%. There is demand for credit, yet there is no supply.

81. The services that the Trade2cash program provides is to reduce access to important trade-related documents for the credit institutions to assess risk better: information about logistics providers; Insurance companies; service providers; customs documents and other relevant documents. In one single platform, banks can do the validation of information faster.

82. The program is based on the Trade2van of the government of Chinese Taipei. The economy has a guarantee fund to support borrowings of SMEs. It guarantees up to 70% of the loan. For example, ACER, the computer company, got loan backed by this guarantee fund, SMEG. But if facilitated by the economy’s Trade2van, the guarantee could go up to 90 %.

83. Ms. Say mentioned that if respective economies can create an SMEG for their national SMEs then this can help reduce risk.

84. Partners of trade2cash gets 5 Ps: protection (SMEG gives the guarantee); purpose (trade van is getting the money for export transaction); perspective (past 3 years business intelligence report); Payment (Credit insurance 14 million buyers check within 48 hours. Buyers certificate the insurance company pays); and people.

8. Session 7: Cross-Border Trade Facilitation Best Practices for MSMEs

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85. The resource persons of this session are: Ms. Sherill Quintana, President, Oryspa, Philippines; Mr. Ferddie Legaspi, Customer and Regulatory Affairs Manager, DHL Express (Philippines); and Ms. Flordeliza C. Leong, Assistant Vice President, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.. Moderator: Mr. Mondher Mimouni, Chief, Market Analysis and Research, ITC.

86. Ms. Quintana talked about typical problems of MSME exporters. Being one, Ms. Quintana mentioned the following challenges: limited financial resources’; limited access to capital; high cost of selling abroad; limited knowledge of overseas market opportunities; and limited government assistance.

87. The company makes use of indigenous materials in this case rice bran for exports. Presently, the company has 2 outlets in Singapore. The resource person selected Singapore on the belief that meeting Singapore’s standards would help the company comply with the standards of more countries.

88. The company avails of the services of commercial attaches. It mentors its partners, participates in trade fairs/missions. It hopes to see regulatory reform in the form of reduced taxes.

89. Mr. Legaspi talked about 3 key issues in trade facilitation: customs procedure; taxation and licensing rules; and establishment barriers. In customs clearance, he noted about excessive procedures; higher cost and lead times. There is a need for simplifying the clearance process.

90. The taxation and licensing rules are complicated. This creates uncertainty. The simplification of value added tax rules, adoption of de minimis rules are among the proposed solutions he mentioned.

91. The entry barriers to creating business establishments reduce competition and provide consumers with less choices and higher cost of products.

92. Ms. Leong talked about the trade facilitation issues of MSMEs. There is high cost of doing business. MSMEs have poor access to financing. Those with financing go through the cycle of doing business: soucring raw materials abroad: databases, e-commerce facilities; ‘keep track of international trade developments affecting his products and markets’ import sourcing regulations.

93. Behind the border issues are a big problem. There is need of reforms for domestic trade facilitation: online filings, inter-linked permitting processes.

94. The resource person encouraged the use of new business processes and regulatory reforms aimed at facilitating cross border transactions: e-payment innovative financing; single window; modernization of customs procedures based on the Revised Kyoto Convention; trade financing for SMEs magna carta for SMEs; credit information bureau; abolishing antiquated duties or egulations; aligning laws for the use of new business processes.

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Speakers

SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION TO NON-TARIFF MEASURES ANDSESSION 2: IDENTIFYING SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY (SPS) MEASURES AND TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE WHICH MAY AFFECT MARKET ACCESS

JURGEN RICHTERINGChief, Market Access Intelligence, WTO

Mr. Richtering is currently Head of the Market Access Intelligence Section in the Economic Research and Statistics Division of the World Trade Organization. His main responsibilities include the management of WTO's tariff and import databases, covering data collection and dissemination via online web applications and providing technical advice and statistical services to senior management and Member countries on tariff matters. In addition, he is in charge of the recently launched Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal, a new project on the integration of WTO information systems on non-tariff m-easures. He worked in the Asian Development Bank and in UNCTAD. Richtering holds an MA in Economics/Econometrics from the University of Munster, Germany.

MONDHER MIMOUNIChief, Market Analysis and Research, ITC

Mr. Mondher, is currently Head of the Market Analysis and Research, International Trade Centre. ITC is the UN system's only agency dedicated solely to giving technical help to small and medium-sized businesses in developing countries and transitional economies to achieve higher gains from global trade. The Doha Development Agenda was adopted at the WTO Ministerial Conference in November 2001. As manager of the Market Analysis Section, his main duties include improving information transparency in goods and services trade through webbased market analysis tools – Trade Map, Market Access Map, Standards Map, Export Potential Map and Procurement Map. These global public goods remain continually up to date, reliable and accessible to all users as part of the Transparency in Trade Programme.Delivering capacity building programmes for trade policymakers, TISIs and enterprises in all aspects of market analysis and research to support them in transforming market information into trade impact for good. As well as conducting studies on trade potential and on obstacles to trade including large scale enterprise-level surveys of non-tariff measures, quantitative analysis of market access conditions and other trade related issues. Prior to becoming the Chief of the Market Analysis and Research Division he served as Programme Manager of Market Access Map in the International Trade Centre.

SESSION 3: HURDLING MARKET ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR AGRICULTURE ANDFOOD PROCESSING SECTOR

CECILIA DELA PAZDirector, Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers

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Ms. Maria Cecilia Rocha Dela Paz serves as the President and CEO of PromesservCorporation, Promesso Business Solution and Cafe Rocha. Believing that business, as mission, is one of the most important avenues to help, she started two microbusinesses, which have grown steadily through the years. Becoming an entrepreneur after years as professional manager in global companies (MNCs), Ms. Dela Paz was likewise exposed to the new challenges that the Philippine MSMEs have been battling with for survival in the past decades such as the cost and complexity of doing business (regulatory, being on top of these hurdles), lack of capability even with basic compliances such as food safety, limited access to new technology, R&D and innovation, which are critical to surviving, much more growing in a highly competitive environment whose players include neighboring countries. The hope to see a dynamic MSME sector in the food industry, ignited the desire for Ms. Dela Paz to lead the Philippine Chamber ofFood Manufacturers’ MSME Committee whose mission is the intentional mentoring of MSME-partners of large member corporations; to soar above their tough business environment and patiently advocating the MSMEs need for assistance to full regulatory compliance to relevant government regulations.

BRUCE HARSHDirector, Supply Chain, US Department of Commerce

Mr. Bruce Harsh has more than 29 years of international trade experience at the Department of Commerce. He currently manages the Supply Chain unit in the Office of Supply Chain, Professional & Business Services, and several advisory committees, including the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness. His team specializes in resolving movement of goods and services issues for air, sea, rail, and highway transportation modes, which also requires an extensive understanding of numerous dynamics such as IT systems, retail, security, infrastructure, and sustainability. Mr. Harsh is the Department’s representative to the Advisory Committee on International Postal and Delivery Services and has represented the Department of Commerce at various trade negotiations, including: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement; U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement; Dominican Republic-Central America U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR); U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement; World Trade Organization; and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum. He also developed and led trade missions throughout the world, including Commerce’s first-ever retailing and franchising trade mission to China and direct marketing mission to Europe. He has received numerous awards from the Department, including its Gold Medal award, for his work on reducing traderestrictions in distribution services.

SESSION 4: GLOBAL MARKETS AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HANDICRAFTS SECTOR

VENUS GENSONChief Executive Officer, Art n Nature Mfg. Corp., Cebu, Philippines

Venus C. Genson is the Managing Director of the Art n Nature Mfg. Corp. and at the same time a hands-on chief executive officer. Currently, she is the President of Cebu Gifts, Toys, and Housewares, Inc. She is the Chairperson for National Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (NICCEP) -National Clustering for Gifts Décor Housewares 2012-2015. She is a member of the board of directors of Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, and Chairperson for United Manufacturers/Exporters Multi-Purpose Cooperative.Venus C. Genson was chosen as the

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Woman Entrepreneur of Year 2012 by Earnst and Young.She holds an MBA degree and doctorate in International Business, briefly teaching at the Cebu Institute of Technology, University of San Carlos, and Centre for International Education which is a Cambridge-linked exclusive school in Cebu. She taught strategic marketing, management principles, organization and management, as well as supervisory training.

WU JUNQICoordinator, Trade Development, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan

Dr. Wu Junqi is the Coordinator of Trade Development of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan. She obtained her Ph.D study on Forestry Product Policy from the Chinese Academy of Forestry has been focused on the trade facilitation of bamboo and rattan commodities in the international market for years. At INBAR she is responsible for the trade development of bamboo and rattan commodities, with the aim to improve the trade policy environment for bamboo and rattan products, through the international cooperation with other organizations and INBAR member countries. With the cooperation with the World Customs Organization, 24 individual codes for bamboo and rattan have been introduced to the UN Harmonized Description and Coding System, which will be very helpful for the market evaluation of bamboo and rattan commodities.

SESSION 5: ROLE OF TRADE PROMOTION OFFICES AND BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN TRADE FACILITATION

JEAN ROGERSChief Operating Officer, WEConnect International

Jean is Chief Operating Officer for WEConnect International, helping to connect women business owners with global markets and to strengthen corporate supply chains through diversity. She brings more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit management and international development to the daily operations of WEConnect's mission and rapidly growing portfolio. She has helped business groups around the world to grow markets in challenging political environments by engaging on policy reform issues that create a better working ecosystem for small business. As a speaker and trainer, Jean brings knowledge from her experience in dozens of countries and her enthusiasm for building nonprofit capacity in a wide array of skills necessary to better serve member constituencies. She focuses on thoughtful strategic planning and dogged follow-through in implementation as keys to great performance in areas such as advocacy, governance, businesswomen’s leadership, small business growth, proposal writing, and project evaluation, among others.

SENEN PERLADADirector, Export Marketing Bureau, Department of Trade and Industry

Director Perlada leads the Export Marketing Bureau or EMB (formerly the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion - BETP), the focal Export Marketing Agency of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in providing enabling services to the Philippine exporting community through business intelligence and strategic knowledge management supportive of product and market diversification. He is concurrently the Executive Director of the Export Development Council

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(EDC), the apex Public Private Partnership (PPP) organization for export policy and development in the Philippines. He has more than 20 years of international marketing experience and business development work in the private sector, having held various senior management positions in a number of Filipino and internationally-engaged firms. He was the DTI’s Trade Representative assigned to the Philippine Consulate General, Kobe, Japan from 1988 to 1992 and was instrumental in enhancing trade flows between the Philippines and the Kansai region as well as inward investments from the area of Western Japan.

YUKIFUMI YAMAGUCHIDirector, Office for International Cooperation, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Mr. Yukifumi Yamaguchi, Director of the Office for international cooperation, SME Agency, Japan, joined in theMinistry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in 1979. He has been working over 30 years in METI and has lots of work experiences in the field of not only SME finance, trade policy and trade insurance but also international economic cooperation. He was posted to Cairo in June 1889, as a member of JETRO Cairo office. Prior to his current appointment, he served as the Deputy Representative, Kaohsiung office of Interchange AssociationJapan.economic cooperation. He was posted to Cairo in June 1889, as a member of JETRO Cairo office.

JEANNIE JAVELOSAPresident, ECHOsi Foundation & Director, ECHOstore

Jeannie is a Co-Founder for the award-winning pioneering social enterprise and green-fair trade store called ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle and its related brands ECHOmarket Sustainable Farms, ECHOcafe, ECHOmarket. Products, fresh produce and items made by marginalized communities, farmer groups, women groups and indigenous communities are sold here. (ECHO means Environment Community Hope Organization). ECHOyogaShala offers the wellness side of the ECHO brand. She leads the ECHOsi Foundation (Empowering Communities with Hope and Opportunities through Sustainable Initiatives) as President.Jeannie is co-architect under ECHOsi Foundation (as the private sector representative)of a multi-sectoral pioneering innovative development program and marketing retail brand platform called GREAT Women.GREAT means “Gender responsive economic action for the transformation of women”.

SESSION 6: ROLE OF E-COMMERCE, LOGISTICS AND FINANCE IN TRADE FACILTATION

FRANCIS NORMAN LOPEZPresident and CEO, InterCommerce Network Services, Inc.

Mr. Francis Norman Lopez is the President and CEO of InterCommerce Network Services, Inc. since December 1997, and a serving as the Chairman of the Pan Asian e-Commerce Alliance (PAA) Steering Committee for the period in 2015-2016. InterCommerce, an Information Technology/IT B2B/B2G eCommerce Solutions Service Provider, established in 1987 as a distributor of then GE Information Services, and currently accredited as a Value-Added Service Provider (VASP) for the Bureau of Customs, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Clark Development Corporation for Clark Freeport, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for Subic Freeport, Board of Investments-Motor Vehicles Development Program and the Department of

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Agriculture (SPS Import Clearance for the Animal, Plants and the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Bureaus). InterCommerce is accredited as a Service Provider by Japan Customs/Nippon Automated Cargo and Port Consolidation System (NACCS) for the advanced submission of maritime cargo information. He has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Pan Asia Exchange (PAE), a B2B Ecommerce Marketplace.

JIMMY PANGVice President, Development Supply Chain Security Association, Hong Kong, China

Mr. Jimmy Pang is the Vice President of the Supply Chain Security Association in Hong Kong, China. The Supply Chain Security Association was founded by a group of professionals from supply chain management, security management and information technology management in April 2002, with the aim to address the awareness towards emerging security threats on the supply chain industry. The association believes that the joint effort of supply chain and security professionals can fight against security weaknesses in the most effective way. Mr. Pang also working closed to HKCAD for aviation security, he is HK CAD recognized RAR and IATA DG trainer. With 18 years solid consulting experience in supply chain & logistics business in the region (China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore), he is appointed by various academics (Chinese University of HK, City University of HK, Heng Sang Business College…etc.) for supply chain & logistics programs as advisor and part-time lecturer.

ALICIA SAYConsultant, Trade-Van Information Services Co

Ms. Alicia Say is the Manager/Section Head of Business Development and Marketing Department, Trade-Van Information Services Co., in charge of business strategy development, e-business planning and implementation, marketing and promotion, international business expansion and international strategic alliance. She is also the Project Management and Publicity Working Group Chair of PAA, Pan Asian E-Commerce Alliance (PAA consists of 11 member economies in Asia, forming the largest group of customs and trade service providers realizing cross border paperless trading), in charge of cross border paperless trading development and project management. She is the Project Overseer, APEC Cross Border eCO Exchange Pathfinder Project, initiated the first cross border electronic Certificate of Origin exchange of the world..SESSION 7: CROSS-BORDER TRADE FACILITATION BEST PRACTICES FOR MSMEs

SHERILL QUINTANAPresident, Oryspa, Philippines

Ms. Sherill Quintana, is the president and founder of ORYSPA, the first and finest maker of rice bran based spa products in the country. After graduating from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Sociology, she worked as a researcher at World Wildlife Fund (KKP) and Information Specialist at USAID funded projects. After employing for 5 years, she started as an SME from Laguna, a homegrown company that started as a manufacturer of aromatherapy products 13 years ago armed with a passion for aromatherapy. As her way of giving back, She is continuously providing livelihood trainings for rural women in Laguna and is an active member

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of their provincial and local tourism councils. She had been invited for several conventions as a resource speaker for The Department of Trade and Industry.

FERDDIE LEGASPICustoms and Regulatory Affairs Manager, DHL Express ( Philippines ) Corporation

Ferddie is the Customs and Regulatory Affairs Manager of DHL Express (Philippines) Corp, and is tasked in liaising with Bureau of Customs and other government regulatory agencies. Ferddie brings with him 24 years of significant air express industry experience from two major Air Express Operators in the Philippines. He joined DHL in 2006, As Customs Clearance Manager, in 2010 was appointed as Network Control Manager and appointed as Customs and Regulatory Affairs Manager in 2012.

FLORDELIZA LEONGAssistant Vice President for Advocacy and Communications of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.

Ms. Ma. Flordeliza C. Leong is the Assistant Vice President for Advocacy and Communications of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. the country’s umbrella organization of exporters. To help push the export and PHILEXPORT policy agenda, Ms. Leong sits as PHILEXPORT representative or alternate representative to the PHILEXPORT President in various government and private sector Councils, Committees and technical working groups.Ms. Leong also authored a number of policy and position papers and speeches, served as moderator in policy- and market-related workshops, meetings and consultations and organized trade fairs and missions here and abroad.She likewise participated in numerous local and international seminars, training-workshops and conferences including those by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ASEAN, Center for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) of the Netherlands, Nikkeiren International Cooperation Center (NICC), International Trade Center (ITC), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and Deutsche GesellschaftfurInternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, representing the Philippines and PHILEXPORT in a number of them.

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