EU parliament votes to grant GSP+ to Sri Lanka

The European Parliament today voted to defeat a resolution to deny granting the GSP+ tariff concession to Sri Lanka.

The result is seen as a vistory for the government as it would make Sri Lankan exports to the European Union (EU) cheaper and contributed to its export growth vital to boost external reserves.

Deputy Minister Dr Harsha de Silva said that Sri Lanka won the vote in Brussels after 436 MEPs voted against, 119 voted in favor and 22 abstained for the motion to deny GSP plus for Sri Lanka taken up at the plenary session held on Thursday (27). 

A European Parliamentary group had tabled the resolution in the EU Parliament against granting GSP+ to Sri Lanka for its exports to the 28- member bloc, citing concern over Colombo’s “worryingly slow” progress on key issues like human rights.

European Parliament today took a vote on the resolution on the Commission delegated regulation of 11 January 2017 amending Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences (C(2016)8996 – 2017/2511(DEA)). 

The motion states that in February 2010 GSP+ preferences to Sri Lanka were suspended due to serious breaches in the application of UN human rights instruments, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the ILO core labour convention.

It said that since January 2015, the government of Sri Lanka has taken some positive steps towards improving human rights, including its decision to co-sponsor Human Rights Council (HRC) Resolution 30/1 in October 2015.

On 11 January 2017 the Commission adopted a delegated act to add Sri Lanka to Annex III of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012.

The government’s reform efforts, including those that directly relate to the GSP+ criteria, have not yet delivered on their aim of complying with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, it said. 

The resolution also added that the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka (A/HRC/34/20) of 10 February 2017 concludes that the measures taken by Sri Lanka since October 2015 have been ‘inadequate to ensure real progress’ and that the fulfilment of commitments has been ‘worryingly slow’.

“The ILO Committee of Experts has identified a number of shortcomings in relation to ILO Conventions 87 and 98, including the insufficiencies of the Industrial Disputes Amendment Act 56 of 1999, which is the only existing legislation that relates to ILO Convention 87.”

The existing human rights violations in Sri Lanka raise concerns about the appropriateness of granting GSP+ status while not enough real progress is being made according to international bodies; whereas the Sri Lankan Government is suspected of not adequately tackling the culture of impunity by rewarding military officials accused of human rights violations with government positions, it said. 

The GSP+ is a component of the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) for developing countries.

It offers additional trade incentives to developing countries already benefitting from GSP to implement core international conventions on human and labour rights, sustainable development and good governance.