The European Union is likely this week to impose tariffs on rice coming from Myanmar for the next three years to curb a surge in imports, according to Reuters quoting a source familiar with the file.

The Commission’s proposal is to set a duty of 175 euros ($200.73) per tonne of rice in the first year, dropping to 150 euros in the second and 125 euros in year three, according to a Commission source.

The European Commission, which oversees trade policy in the bloc, proposed the measures last year and put these to the 28 member countries in December, but failed to get a clear majority of them in favour.

In the absence of an opinion by the relevant committee, the Commission itself was bound to take the final decision, the Reuters report said.