EU monitoring mission here in Sept.
View(s):The European Union (EU) is planning to send a monitoring mission in September to Sri Lanka in the wake of the resolution against Sri Lanka in the EU Parliament seeking a withdrawal of GSP+ concessions owing to alleged human rights abuses.
“We were informed that a delegation will visit Sri Lanka in September subject to COVID-19 conditions,” said veteran trade union leader Palitha Athukorala.
This was confirmed by the EU Office in Colombo. In a statement to the Business Times it said a (zoom) meeting was organised by the Dutch Embassy with representatives of trade unions and other organisations in the garment sector. The EU was one of the participants.
“Under GSP+ every two years an EU monitoring mission is visiting the country. The last mission took place in September 2019. We hope to be able to send the next mission in autumn 2021,” it said adding that the EU Delegation is in regular contact with various stakeholders, also in relation to GSP+. “We have a close interaction with the government, but also civil society, human rights groups, trade unions, employers’ organisations and other stakeholders,” the statement said
Mr. Athukorala along with FTZ trade union leader Anton Marcus, and officials of the Women Centre and Dabindu Collective (two FTZ trade unions representing female workers) were part of the discussion on Wednesday. Twenty representatives from EU countries, the US, Australia and Japan took part in the discussion with the intention of seeking the views of trade unions on the proposed withdrawal of trade concessions.
The resolution seeking the withdrawal of GSP+ concessions pushed through the European Parliament on June 10 will severely hurt apparel exports.
Mr. Athukorala told the Business Times that women’s groups explained that they were subject to harassment by the police in pursuing trade union activities. Health centres set up based on COVID-19 guidelines in FTZ factories were a farce as they had more employer representatives than workers, it was noted.
“We explained that we didn’t want GSP+ to be withdrawn as it would be lead to job losses,” Mr. Athukorala said adding that he and Mr. Marcus had agreed to write to Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on the need to ensure GSP+ concessions are not removed. This week the government said it planned to amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) while releasing a number of Tamil prisoners detained under the PTA, both acts meant to placate the EU.