Kuala Lampur, May 16 -- Global trade has been rattled by the sudden jacking up and shifting down of tariff rates by the US. No country has been spared from the impact. Some more than others. Not all trade barriers are tariff-based because countries have a range of strategic, political, and economic motivations for regulating trade beyond simply collecting revenue. In recent decades, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) have become increasingly popular as tools for protecting domestic economies in more subtle ways. Our own palm biodiesel export to the EU is one which has been subjected to such measures, under the guise of climate concerns. There are reasons why this is happening.

Tariffs are more visible and politically sensitive. They are easy to ...