Discussions on GSP+ to continue

The Foreign Ministry yesterday said it would continue to engage in discussions with the European Union in future but a deviation from its current stance to restore the GSP plus trade concessions was unlikely.

On inquiry about a statement by a diplomat with the EU Secretariat in Colombo that the EU was ready to re-negotiate the GSP concessions, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said they had not received any official communique in this regard.

An English daily quoting the diplomat reported yesterday that the EU was open for re-negotiations on the GSP plus issue.

“We are not in a position to comment on a statement made to a newspaper,” the spokesperson said adding that, however, it is unlikely that Government would take a new stand on the issue. MF