The European Union has decided to extend the GSP+ facility to Sri Lanka for three years, from January 1, 2009 to end 2011.

Minister of Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena announced this at the weekly Cabinet briefing held at the Government Information Department today (11).

The European Commission decided today (11), to give 16 developing countries, including Sri Lanka, duty-free access to the EU market for around 6400 tariff lines, under the EU's special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance.

GSP + provides an important incentive to developing countries to ratify and effectively implement a broadly defined set of international standards in the fields of human rights, core labour standards, sustainable development and good governance.

It is learnt that the extension of the GSP + facility to Sri Lanka and El Salvador while being in force is subject to the findings of inquiries being conducted by the EU on the implementation of certain UN and ILO Conventions.