The European Commission on Wednesday proposed restoring tariff concessions for imports from Sri Lanka after scrapping them for seven years, as the new government pledged to improve human rights. The executive body of the 28-member European Union said it proposed to lift import duties on goods from the island in exchange for its commitment to rights and good governance.
"These one-way trade preferences would consist of the full removal of duties on 66% of tariff lines, covering a wide array of products including textiles and fisheries (Sri Lanka's main exports to the EU)," the commission said in a statement. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the proposed concessions showed the EU wanted to help Sri Lanka improve its rights record. "This should include making Sri Lankan counter-terrorism legislation fully compatible with international human rights conventions," she said.