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GSP+ not a carte blanche; SL remains under scrutiny: EU Commissioner
View(s):As the Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (GSP) Plus (+) was last month restored to Sri Lanka (SL), after seven years, the European Parliament, on Wednesday, was told it was not a blank cheque to SL, but it will continue to monitor the country’s future progress towards reforms and reconciliation. Opening the debate on behalf of the European Commission (EC) on SL after 2013, Commissioner of International Trade & Trade Agreements, Cecilia Malmström informed the Plenary that, just as with other GSP+ beneficiaries, the European Union (EU) intends to hold SL to its commitment to prove Sustainable Development, Human Rights (HR) and Good Governance (GG).
“SL will now be covered by one of the fundamental pillars of GSP+- the monitoring mechanism which implies three things. It implies firstly, written questions, the so called scorecards where we ask the GSP+ beneficiary countries, how they are addressing shortcomings in implementing the relevant 27 international conventions,” Commissioner Malmstrom noted, while explaining the three different modes of the EU’s monitoring process.
In order to have a broad and deep understanding of the situation in the country, the second process would be regular dialogues with the authorities, GSP+ missions, regular interactions for instance, with the International Labour Organization (ILO), various monitoring bodies, business trade unions and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs).
And thirdly, a well functioning Working Group on Democracy, GG and HR will have a dialogue with SL. And that’s broader than the seven GSP+ related HR conventions. “The information gathered during the GSP+ monitoring process is reflected in our bi-annual report to the Parliament and the Council, with the next one due by year end.”
The EU Parliament and Commission play a very important role in this monitoring process, as sitting Parliamentarians submit relevant information to the body and use their political leverage to call to visible progress in GSP+ countries. In keeping up with the EU’s monitoring process, Parliament was told it will take the monitoring of SL just as seriously as it takes other GSP+ beneficiary countries’, and it is planning to commence its first monitoring mission in September, in order to include SL in the 2018 GSP+ implementation reports.
“We are now granting them GSP+ status but, it doesn’t mean we are fully satisfied with the situation. We have been explicit their shortcomings need to be addressed. I have raised with relevant ministers personally, and we expect movement and progress from the Govt on these issues,” Commissioner Malmstrom said.