Illegal Trade Eradication: Meeting of Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Comm. held

SAC Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, in his capacity as Chairman of the Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee, presided over the 1/2021 committee meeting on Thursday.

First, the SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister said according to the global illegal trade index 2008, Myanmar ranks 82nd out of 84 countries. When the global illegal trade index is measured with four indices, they are policy, demand and supply, transparent trade and customs procedures. Illegal trade is one of the main obstacles to Myanmar’s economic development.

As long as the illegal trade sector is strong, it will hinder legal activities. The reduction in cross-border trade has been linked to illegal trade. Due to the illegal entry of products via border areas, the MSMEs would face hardships in the long run and so it should conduct effective measures to fight the illegal trade in regions/ states in border areas.

He then mentioned the effective policies, strategies, strategic plans, projects and short-and-long-term work plans to be drafted by the ministries concerned, work committee and sub-committees.

He then underlined the need to make efforts to reduce illegal trade and tax evasion while the government eases some restrictions in the trading sector, to improve the budget of the State, to draft plans to supervise the illegal trade via sea, air and border trade camp by the steering committee and other cooperation works with respective regions and states.

Then, Committee Secretary Deputy Minister U Nyunt Aung reported on the formation of the committee and implemented works to fight illegal trade. Deputy Director-General of the Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization U Oo Han presented a ground action plan to combat illegal trade (draft) and other officials clarified the remarks of 1/2021meeting. Next, Committee Vice Chairs Union Minister Lt-Gen Soe Htut and U Win Shein and other committee members coordinated the discussion.

Then, the officials of checkpoint of respective regions and states reported on the roads to be blocked to prevent illegal trade. The meeting came to an end with the concluding remark of Committee Chairman SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.