(June 23, 2010) The European Union, EU has warned Sri Lanka that it will lose preferential
trade status, unless the country commits to improving its dismal human rights record
within six months. The EU said Sri Lanka's GSP-plus trade preferences with the world's
biggest consumer market will not be extended unconditionally. They are due to expire
Aug. 15, and the EU has asked Sri Lanka to give a written commitment by July 1, pledging
to improve human rights before considering renewing them. Sri Lanka exports about
1.24 billion Euro worth of goods to Europe per year. Losing the trade preferences
would cost the country some 78 million Euro based on its 2008 exports. An EU
report last year said Sri Lanka is breaching United Nations commitments to respect
civil and political rights and violating a convention against torture and a charter
on children's rights. On Tuesday, the EU delegation in Colombo said the European
Commission had informed the Sri Lankan government, that it was ready to propose to
the EU to maintain the preferences for a limited additional period, if the rights
pledge is made. Sri Lanka is also facing growing international criticism for
not examining abuses allegedly committed during the last phase of the civil war that
ended in May 2009.The U.N. was to appoint a panel of experts this week to look into
alleged rights abuses committed during the war.