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Policy measures if GSP+ is reversed: Cabraal

Published

5 years ago

2021/10/17

ECONOMYNEXT – Any reversal of the USD 500 million European Union GSP+ trade concession for Sri Lanka could be met and handled through policy measures if such a contingency arises, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said .

Sri Lanka risks losing the EU’s Generalized Systems of Preference Plus (GSP+) trade concession from April next year if the government does not take strong measures to address human rights concerns as promised when the facility was restored in 2017.

GSP+ helped the garments industry here to earn over five billion US dollar export revenue.

“We believe that the impact of any reversal could be met with the policy measures that we would take in such an event,” Cabraal told a press briefing on October 14 when he was asked the size of the GSP+ trade concession.

“Therefore we have assured all the stakeholders that we would be able to deal with that situation in case there is any need to do so and we would not hesitate to do that.”

Sri Lanka has had problems with rule of law and freedoms of citizen with the deterioration of the independence of the public service and judiciary over several decades amid tinkering with the constitution in favour of the state and rulers, critics have said.

Sri Lanka is a European style nation-state with a legislating parliament, standing army and police but the institutions of liberty that should stand between the armed state and the people have weakened according to freedom advocates.

The European parliament adopted a resolution on June 10 calling for the repeal of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and inviting the European Union (EU) Commission to consider temporarily withdrawing access to GSP+ if this is not done.

A five-member European Union (EU) delegation reviewed the country’s human rights situation while discussing with all the stakeholders of GSP+ benefits. But there have been renewed concerns about the country’s human rights record.

The EU is the second largest export destination for Sri Lankan products, and GSP+ has helped exporters to consolidate their position.

Sri Lanka lost the GSP+ in 2010 due to alleged human rights violations including war crimes in the final stage of the 26-year war that ended in 2009.

However, the commitment by the previous government to the international community to address human rights concerns in 2015 helped the country to regain the facility.

Small and medium sector garments and outsourced industries related to garment exporters faced closure after the GSP+ was withdrawn in 2010, but the industry rebounded later even without the trade concession.

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

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CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]