The Government yesterday expressed its willingness to consider constructive proposals by the European Union in connection with the GSP Plus issue after it initially rejected the 15 conditions handed down by Brussels on June 17, a Foreign Ministry official said following extensive talks on Friday with EU officials led by Mission Chief Bernard Savage.
However, Mr. Savage told the Sunday Times the initial 15 proposals put forward by the EU remained and would not be changed. “But Brussels is still open for dialogue if the Sri Lankan Government is prepared,” Mr. Savage said.
Neither the Foreign Ministry official nor Mr. Savage gave details of a possible compromise on the dispute.
Mr. Savage said the Government was yet to make a formal response to the June 17 proposals though it had made statements through various media channels. “The end result in the fall-out of the GSP Plus issue will, to a larger extent, be detrimental to Sri Lanka because Europe is a huge market. For the EU, trade with Sri Lanka is marginal,” he said.
Meanwhile at the meeting on Friday between External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris and Mr. Savage, it was decided to continue the dialogue towards solving the GSP Plus issue though the suspension of tariff concessions will take effect on August 15.
The ministry official said the Government would have nothing to do with the initial 15 EU proposals since they bordered on interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. “It appears that the EU has begun to realize the futility of its proposals and is now seeking other options for holding on to dialogue,” the official said.
Meanwhile, United States Ambassador Patricia Butenis is due to visit free trade zone areas later this month ahead of a scheduled visit by a top-level US government delegation.
The delegation is expected to carry out a ground survey on the working conditions in the export zones and report back to the State Department.
"Unlike in the EU, trade tax concessions with the US are strictly tied up with worker rights and welfare," Apparels Union Progressive Front leader Anton Marcus said.
He said the delegation's visit to Sri Lanka was the outcome of several complaints made by local unions regarding the freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the protection of their leaders and activists.
Mr. Marcus said the fate of the trade concessions given to Sri Lanka by the US would depend on the report submitted by the delegation. |
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