Sri Lanka risks losing GSP+ over PTA reforms: Joint opposition

GSP+ is a special benefit Sri Lanka enjoys in exports to EU markets

By Yohan Perera 

Sri Lanka risks losing the GSP+ trade benefit, a special benefit enjoyed by Sri Lankan exporters for accessing markets in the European Union, because of the slow progress of reforms related to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), Joint Opposition Convener Prof. G. L. Peiris said yesterday. 

Making remarks at the regular press conference, he said the current International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) would end in March next year, and the country was currently facing issues related to the flow of its foreign exchange revenue. He said that revenue from tourism and hard-earned remittances from expatriate workers had dropped. 

Against the backdrop, he said GSP+ is a special benefit Sri Lanka enjoys in exporting to the EU markets. Asserting that Sri Lanka had to make a fresh application for the GSP+ tariff benefits next year, he said that the implementation of 27 International Conventions was a prerequisite for it. 

Sri Lanka is expected to abide by 21 international conventions. The most important one of them is the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 

He said the ambassador of the EU countries had always insisted on reforming the PTA on the basis that violation of it would amount to the breach of all these conventions. 

“If the government continues to invoke the provisions of the PTA, the EU will not be ready to consider the extension of GSP+ for Sri Lanka,” he said. 

He said, “When I was the External Affairs Minister, I gave a written assurance to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva that a new law would be introduced in place of the PTA in six months. The PTA is a piece of legislation criticised by lawyers, civil society members and professionals. The Justice Minister promised in Kilinochchi recently that a new law would be in place in two months’ time. Yet, we are completely in the dark about the content of the proposed law. Unless the new law is evolved with broad consultation with all stakeholders to meet international standards, the GSP+ benefit will be in jeopardy.”