Malaysia to fight ‘no palm oil’ label

BERLIN: Malaysia is set to go all out to fight the “no palm oil” label issue in the European region, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“We are engaging with various countries (in the European Union),” he told Malaysian media at the end of his three-day official visit here yesterday.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said Malaysia would also work with Indonesia to engage with the European Union member countries to address the “no palm oil” label issue.

He said Malaysia cannot allow EU countries to damage the prospects of Malaysia’s golden crop in the region.

Hence, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council will work on this, he added.

According to several reports, there are about 1,500 products with the “no palm oil” label in France, Belgium and Italy.

Such labelling can be categorised as a non-trade barrier and a move to deny market access for palm oil.

Najib had also discussed the same issue with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in his bilateral meeting on Tuesday.

He had explained to her that Malaysia subscribed to sustainable development of the palm oil industry and that there was no “slash and burn” policy.

He also invited German lawmakers to see this for themselves.

Najib said Merkel had assured Malaysia that Germany has no plans to impose any form of tax or tariff on palm oil.

They (Germany) will also not support any practice of the “no palm oil” label in Germany, said the Prime Minister. — Bernama