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| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
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Sri Lanka aiming at GSP Plus arrangement by Elmo Leonard Sri Lanka is making untiring efforts to obtain duty free status for 7,200 products including garments and other manufactured exports to the 25-member European Union nations. Trade Minister, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle has made his case before European Commissioner Peter Manderson in the light of the difficult situation the country faces following the tsunami disaster, a spokesman for the Ministry said. The Minister thinks that the best way to obtain duty free entry into the EU nations is through the Special GSP Plus arrangement scheduled to come into effect from April 1 this year. Sri Lanka on her part would have to comply with 27 international conventions prescribed by the European Commission at the time of application. The European Trade Commissioner had pointed out that owing to Sri Lanka's high level of compliance with ILO labour standards, the country had already received privileged treatment through the application of the current GSP Schemes "Social Clause." Thus, according to Manderson Sri Lanka's chances were good. The EU is Sri Lanka's second largest market for apparel products accounting for more than 30 percent of our exports of apparel and is the largest trading partner in terms of imports - 16 percent and exports 30 per cent.
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