Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASTANA1902
2007-07-12 10:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Astana
Cable title:
KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION ON POULTRY TARIFF LINES
how-toVZCZCXRO0555 PP RUEHAST DE RUEHTA #1902 1931014 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 121014Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0067 INFO RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2072 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0958 RUEHCR/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS ASTANA 001902
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (O'MARA),EB (M SINGER, A WINTON, R SCHNELLER)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR (B HAFNER, L O'CONNOR)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USDA/FAS (K RAMOS, J FLEMINGS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD WTRO USTR KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION ON POULTRY TARIFF LINES
REF: A. STATE 88685, B. ASTANA 01448, C. STATE 67132
UNCLAS ASTANA 001902
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (O'MARA),EB (M SINGER, A WINTON, R SCHNELLER)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR (B HAFNER, L O'CONNOR)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USDA/FAS (K RAMOS, J FLEMINGS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD WTRO USTR KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION ON POULTRY TARIFF LINES
REF: A. STATE 88685, B. ASTANA 01448, C. STATE 67132
1. (SBU) Post has reviewed evidence on Kazakhstan's 2006 tariff
rates on poultry in response to Ref A request. Government of
Kazakhstan (GOK) decrees establishing poultry tariff rates, as well
as import documents for frozen chicken halves or quarters, support
the assertion that the poultry tariff rate for 2006 was 10%, rather
than 20% and higher, as indicated in the GOK's July 2006 bilateral
market access offer (Ref A).
2. (SBU) A May 2005 GOK decree (number 430),which came into force
the following month, changed the tariffs on frozen poultry meat
(including on the line listed as 0207 14 20 0) from "20%, but no
less than 0.15 euro per 1 kg" to "10%." (Note: This lowering of
tariffs appears to be part of populist economic measures passed in
2005 in the run-up to the December 2005 presidential election. End
note.) The next relevant decree was passed in August of 2006
(number 765) and was to take effect in October of that year. That
decree, however, appears to have been primarily technical in nature,
with the goal of making a transition to the 10-digit HS (Harmonized
System) code. Thus, it appears that the 10% tariff on poultry meat
remained in force throughout 2006 and until May 2007, when another
decree (number 287),passed in April 2007, resulted in broad tariff
rate increases on poultry meat (Ref B and C). In particular, the
April 2007 decree raised the tariff rate for frozen chicken halves
or quarters (02071420000) to "20%, but no less than 0.4 euros per 1
kg."
3. (SBU) Almaty FAS FSN was provided by a Kazakhstani company, on
condition of anonymity, copies of two import documents for frozen
chicken halves or quarters (HS Code 0207142000),dated July 14, 2006
and November 29, 2006. Both documents list 10% as the tariff rate
applied to the imports.
4. (SBU) As Ref A notes, one of the possible implications of
Kazakhstan's July 2006 poultry meat tariff rates is whether or not
the rate increase passed in April 2007 violates the standstill
agreement (Note: The standstill agreement dictates that, while
negotiating WTO accession, applicant countries will not adopt laws
or practices that are more restrictive End note). It is notable
that in recent discussions with Post, Kazakhstani officials appeared
to accept the notion that the measure violated the standstill
agreement. Their retort, however, was that the standstill agreement
represents an expectation rather than a formal obligation (Ref B).
MILAS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (O'MARA),EB (M SINGER, A WINTON, R SCHNELLER)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR (B HAFNER, L O'CONNOR)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USDA/FAS (K RAMOS, J FLEMINGS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD WTRO USTR KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION ON POULTRY TARIFF LINES
REF: A. STATE 88685, B. ASTANA 01448, C. STATE 67132
1. (SBU) Post has reviewed evidence on Kazakhstan's 2006 tariff
rates on poultry in response to Ref A request. Government of
Kazakhstan (GOK) decrees establishing poultry tariff rates, as well
as import documents for frozen chicken halves or quarters, support
the assertion that the poultry tariff rate for 2006 was 10%, rather
than 20% and higher, as indicated in the GOK's July 2006 bilateral
market access offer (Ref A).
2. (SBU) A May 2005 GOK decree (number 430),which came into force
the following month, changed the tariffs on frozen poultry meat
(including on the line listed as 0207 14 20 0) from "20%, but no
less than 0.15 euro per 1 kg" to "10%." (Note: This lowering of
tariffs appears to be part of populist economic measures passed in
2005 in the run-up to the December 2005 presidential election. End
note.) The next relevant decree was passed in August of 2006
(number 765) and was to take effect in October of that year. That
decree, however, appears to have been primarily technical in nature,
with the goal of making a transition to the 10-digit HS (Harmonized
System) code. Thus, it appears that the 10% tariff on poultry meat
remained in force throughout 2006 and until May 2007, when another
decree (number 287),passed in April 2007, resulted in broad tariff
rate increases on poultry meat (Ref B and C). In particular, the
April 2007 decree raised the tariff rate for frozen chicken halves
or quarters (02071420000) to "20%, but no less than 0.4 euros per 1
kg."
3. (SBU) Almaty FAS FSN was provided by a Kazakhstani company, on
condition of anonymity, copies of two import documents for frozen
chicken halves or quarters (HS Code 0207142000),dated July 14, 2006
and November 29, 2006. Both documents list 10% as the tariff rate
applied to the imports.
4. (SBU) As Ref A notes, one of the possible implications of
Kazakhstan's July 2006 poultry meat tariff rates is whether or not
the rate increase passed in April 2007 violates the standstill
agreement (Note: The standstill agreement dictates that, while
negotiating WTO accession, applicant countries will not adopt laws
or practices that are more restrictive End note). It is notable
that in recent discussions with Post, Kazakhstani officials appeared
to accept the notion that the measure violated the standstill
agreement. Their retort, however, was that the standstill agreement
represents an expectation rather than a formal obligation (Ref B).
MILAS