Kok: Malaysia will not withdraw the complaint against EU
KUALA LUMPUR: Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said, Malaysia has not retracted its option of filing a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union’s (EU) Delegated Regulation.
In fact, Malaysia’s highest-level legal team is examining the potential response “with a fine-tooth comb” to make the petition as watertight as possible, she added.
“We continue to view the Delegated Regulation as a discredit to the Malaysian palm oil industry’s commitment towards mandatory sustainability
“It creates additional trade barriers and impedes our sustainability efforts throughout our palm oil supply chain,” she said in a statement today.
For now, Kok noted that Malaysia will still negotiate on this issue with the EU through bilateral meetings and negotiations.
“However, Malaysia has never stated its intentions to back off from the WTO suit,” said Kok in response to Reuters news report dated Feb 13,titled “Malaysia backs off from WTO suit against EU on palm oil.”
Kok, who is currently in Brussels, said her visit to the EU was to meet the European leaders to explain the efforts made by the Malaysian government and palm oil industry to produce sustainable palm oil and various green conservation projects initiated by the industry.
“I sought the endorsement of EU leaders on the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification and to accept MSPO certified palm oil into Europe.
“This is in line with the announcement of seven EU countries in the Amsterdam Declaration on Fully Sustainable Palm Oil by 2020,” she added.
During her meeting with EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and her advisers in Brussels on Thursday, Kok conveyed about Malaysia’s concerns on the Delegated Regulation and EU RED II passed by the European Parliament as it discriminated the use of palm oil in biofuel.
Kok further sought a review on the Delegated Regulation by way of an expert joint working group and such provision is actually also embedded within the Delegated Regulation.
Simson concurred with Malaysia’s views on its plan to activate the expert consultation between the EU and palm oil producers.
Malaysia will raise its objections at the Joint Working Group of EU and Palm Oil Producing Countries to review the Delegated Regulations.
The review process of the Delegated Regulation is taking place soon and should be completed by June 2021.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has been accepted as an interested party to observe the proceedings at the Indonesian suit against the EU at the WTO.
“At any point when our legal experts, who will also sit in at the WTO hearing feel ready, we will be prepared to mount our own independent complaint,” Kok said.
Bernama
