Cambodia reports broader use of preferences under 11 free trade agreements

The General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) said Cambodia was implementing 11 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements with various partners. Tariff revenue foregone under the agreements had risen steadily to US$415.82 million in 2024, which the department said indicated broader use of trade preferences. At an August 21–22 workshop on applying free trade agreements and international customs agreements for 52 customs and excise officials, GDCE Deputy Director General ចាន់ សុភាព said Cambodia was integrating into regional and global markets through its membership in ASEAN, the World Customs Organization and the World Trade Organization. He also cited participation in regional and global instruments including the ASEAN Agreement on Customs, the Trade Facilitation Agreement and the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures. He said this integration supported customs reform and modernisation, particularly simpler and more modern procedures, helping customs collect revenue, facilitate trade and protect public security and safety. He listed the 11 agreements: the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, ASEAN agreements with China, South Korea, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and Hong Kong, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and Cambodia’s agreements with China, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. He highlighted the importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, new free trade agreements and fuller use of existing agreements for inclusive, resilient and sustainable development. He added that tariff revenue foregone under the agreements had risen from about US$384.59 million in 2023 to US$415.82 million in 2024. ចាន់ សុភាព said that the increase reflected wider use of free trade agreements in Cambodia and greater awareness of the benefits of importing under preferential arrangements. Preah Sihanouk Provincial Television, by ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត