NCE urges exporters to make effective use of GSP Plus

While lauding the government for its role in regaining GSP Plus tariff concession from the European Union (EU), a leading export chamber in the country urged its members as well exporters in general to prepare themselves to make use of the opportunity to the maximum. 
The European Commission, which is the Executive body of the European Union (EU), last week proposed to restore the special concessions for imports from  Sri Lanka under the GSP Plus facility, in exchange for the improved human rights and labour record of the country, subject to ratification by the European Parliament, which will be accompanied by a rigorous monitoring of human rights, good governance, labour conditions, protection of the environment, and rule of law, in conformity with the concerned 27 international conventions. 

Sri Lanka will have a period of three to four months before the EU parliament ratifies the concessions to commence implementation.
The National Chamber of Exports (NCE), in a statement, urged its members and other Sri Lankan exporters to prepare themselves during this period to make effective use of the concessions that will be available. 
“The chamber on its part will conduct awareness creating training programmes for Sri Lankan exporters, and especially for its member companies, to have a clear understanding of the regulations and procedures, as well as product quality requirements of the EU countries to effectively compete in the EU market, using the advantage of the concessions that will become available,” NCE said. 
The restoration of GSP Plus would entail the full removal of duties on 66 percent of tariff lines, covering a wide range of products including textiles and garments, fisheries products, rubber products, and machinery. 
Currently there are eight GSP Plus beneficiaries among developing countries. In this context the NCE noted that Sri Lanka will have a particular advantage over competitor countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines for exports, specially in the textiles and garments sector. 
EU, consisting of 27 countries, account for 1/3 of the total exports of Sri Lanka and apparel sector accounts for 46 percent of the country’s exports. In 2015, imports from Sri Lanka to EU amounted to 2.6 billion euros.