Thai exporters urged to ship more goods under EU GSP in 2009

Thai exporters urged to ship more goods under EU GSP in 2009

BANGKOK, Dec 16 (TNA) - Thai manufacturers should produce higher quality products to penetrate the European Union (EU) market which has granted the kingdom its new generalised system of preferences (GSP), a senior Thai government official said Tuesday.

Anchana Withayathammarat, deputy director-general of Thailand's Foreign Trade Department, said the country should benefit from the new EU tariff status which will take force from January 1, and which will expires on December 31, 2011 as the country's exporters could expand market in the EU bloc.

Speaking to a seminar, Mrs. Anchana said Thai products which could be especially competitive and penetrate the EU market are vehicles and parts, shoes, textiles, and processed food.

This year, Thailand has exported goods to the EU valued at more than US$5.9 billion under the GSP system, accounting to about 40 per cent of its total exports to the bloc, she said. The country should be able to export more to the EU under the new GSP during the three-year period.

Several countries including Brazil, India, China and Vietnam have been heavily cut from privileges under the new EU GSP and this should give an opportunity for Thai exporters.

Mrs. Anchana said she expects that Thai goods to be exported to the EU under the GSP should reach a value of more than US$6 billion in 2009. (TNA)