EU Commission in Colombo awaits Sri Lankan government's official response on GSP+

The European Union Commission in Sri Lanka today said the government has not yet responded to the conditions laid down by the EU to temporarily extend the GSP Plus trade concession for Sri Lanka for a period of six months.



The EU requested the Sri Lankan government to respond to their conditions by July 01.

European Union Ambassador to Sri Lanka Bernard Savage has told the local media that the Sri Lankan government has not yet handed any official response to the EU and that a practical date of July 1 was given for the government to submit a written undertaking.

However, Savage has said that the EU would look at the government's response even if they are received tomorrow or next Monday (July 5).

Sri Lanka rejected the conditions set by the EU to extend the trade facility saying that the demands are politically motivated and unacceptably intrusive into the country's affairs.

The trade concessions are to be expired on August 15 and Sri Lanka stands to lose about Euro 100 million a year in tariffs.

The government however says it will look at new markets and provide other options to the industries that would lose due to GSP+ suspension.