The European Union will impose tariffs this week on rice from Cambodia and Myanmar for three years in response to a request by Italy for local producers to gain protection from the imports.
The EU will apply duties as of Jan. 18 on Indica rice from the two Asian countries, which had been exempted from levies through the bloc’s “GSP” program, giving poor nations around the world preferential market access.
The goal of the tariffs is to protect EU-based producers from a surge in imports. The duties will amount to 175 euros ($200) a metric ton in the first year, 150 euros a ton in the second year and 125 euros in the third.
