The Ministry of Export Development said the European Commission (EC) is presently looking onto submissions on Sri Lanka’s implementation of International Conventions. This is part of the EC’s investigation to decide whether Sri Lanka will continue to remain under the GSP+ duty-free export trade scheme until 2011.
“The EC investigation is now looking into submissions made by various parties. So if they require any clarifications based on these submissions, the government is ready to provide this,” said the Secretary to the Ministry of Export Development S. Ranugge.
The current investigation by the EC is mainly to do with the implementation of three out of 27 international conventions, that are pre-requisites to qualify for the GSP+ scheme. These conventions are the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), The Convention Against Torture and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Government officials say concerns regarding the implementation of the three conventions are being addressed.
“On the Child Rights Convention, the problem was allegations that government backed parties were using child-soldiers. But the government has already looked into this. Now the only party using child soldiers is the LTTE,” said Mr Ranugge. “With the ICCPR, the issue was with regards to implementation. The legal framework is already in place. On the Convention Against Torture also, we do not have a problem as such,” said Mr Ranugge. During the period of investigation Sri Lanka will be able to use the GSP+ scheme and according to the Department of Commerce, even if the findings are negative, Sri Lanka will be allowed a 6-month ‘notice period’ before the GSP+ is discontinued. Therefore, the GSP+ is expected to be available almost until end of 2009, if not until 2011 (if it is approved). |
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