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Rights issues crucial to granting GSP+ in Sri Lanka, says EU Ambassador

The European Union Ambassador to Sri Lanka said rights issues on the island should be resolved prior to the granting of the preferential GSP+ trade tariff, reports the Island.

EU Ambassador David Daly made his comments to a National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka forum on trade between Sri Lanka and the European Union.

"Some people think that to speak of GSP+ means only to speak of T-shirts, of fish or of rubber, or of bicycles," said Mr Daly. "But, to speak of GSP+ means also to speak of human rights, of civil and political freedoms, of torture."

See more of his comments here.

Mr Daly also spoke to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat today, where he reportedly said the EU was considering Sri Lanka's request to restore the tariff and life restrictions imposed on the export of fish products.

Also see our earlier post: Sri Lanka seeks to regain GSP+ (28 Mar 2015)

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