Sri Lanka clinches US GSP
Sri Lanka has clinched the US GSP as the United States has decided
not to change GSP benefits to Sri Lanka. “We warmly welcome United
States Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s announcement on June 29 that the
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) country practice review on
worker rights in Sri Lanka has closed without any change to Sri Lanka’s
GSP trade benefits.
This is also a confirmation of the strong assurance given to me by
Michael Delaney, Assistant United States Trade Representative for South
and Central Areas Affairs on June 13 in Colombo, said Rishad Bathiudeen,
Minister of Industry of Commerce, acknowledging the announcement.
Delaney had earlier assured Minister Bathiudeen of a positive outcome
from the US SP review. “As you know we have an outstanding petition
filed by an American trade union concerning Sri Lanka workers’ rights
which we have been discussing with the Government of Sri Lanka and
stakeholders for a long time.
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