COLOMBO – The European Union has asked Sri Lanka to notify the World Trade Organization (WTO) of the import controls imposed in 2020, at an annual joint commission meeting conducted online. It had also called for fostering reconciliation, justice, accountability and peaceful coexistence among Sri Lanka’s diverse communities.
The EU had provided unilateral trade concessions at the GSP+ scheme.
In a statement issued after the meeting, it said, “.. [T]he EU also stressed that open and fair trade requires a level playing field, and expressed its strong concerns about Sri Lanka’s import restrictions imposed since April 2020, following COVID, which have a negative impact on European businesses,” adding that the EU has urged Sri Lanka to notify these measures to the World Trade Organization.
The EU had also asked Sri Lanka to amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in line with international standards, it said, and noted that Sri Lanka had confirmed its intention to re-visit the provisions of the PTA to make changes.
The statement said Sri Lanka had also reaffirmed the commitments made to effectively implement the 27 international Conventions covered by the GSP+ scheme on human and labour rights, environment and good governance.
It also noted that EU and Sri Lanka had committed to further enhance the regular EU-Sri Lanka Investor Dialogue to address impediments affecting trade and investment from the EU and that both partied also explored possibilities for future cooperation on climate change, in particular on the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
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