The Government has reiterated that it responsibly and diligently engaged with the EU on the GSP+ issue during a period of unprecedented turbulence, when the very existence of the nation was threatened by a severe terrorist onslaught.

In response to the EU decision to temporarily suspend the GSP+ concession, the government assured that Sri Lanka will continue her engagement with the EU in the upcoming 6 months with a view to sensitizing the European side through a constructive dialogue, concerning both the rapid, demonstrable and sustainable progress that has been gained since the end of the conflict situation, as well as the further steps that would be taken in that direction.

While emphasising that Sri Lanka values its longstanding friendly relations with the EU, the government, however, pointed out that the purposefulness of such an engagement would be considerably heightened, if both parties were to act with sincerity and in a manner respectful of one another.

“The setting of unattainable targets and the shifting of goal posts will only hamper the efforts of the parties. The engagement will also need to be sensitive to the sovereign prerogative of the people of Sri Lanka, to chart their nation’s course,” the statement said.

The government expressed hope that the unbroken engagement with the EU, would result in the timely reversal of the temporary suspension, thereby enabling the people of Sri Lanka to continue to draw on the GSP+ facility for their economic empowerment, including for the post-conflict recovery and rehabilitation of the North and of the East.

The EU in its statement notifying the temporary withdrawal of GSP + trade benefits said, “the suspension of GSP+ benefits is temporary, as the overarching EU objective remains to use GSP+ as an incentive to underpin improvements in the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The suspension will only take effect in six months time, giving Sri Lanka extra time to address the problems identified”.

“The EU remains open to a full dialogue with the government of Sri Lanka, above all to encourage it to take the necessary steps towards an effective implementation of GSP+-relevant human rights conventions”, it further stated.
Following is the full text of the statement:


STATEMENT
ON THE EU DECISION FOR THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION
OF THE GSP+ FACILITY TO SRI LANKA


The European Union on 15th February announced the temporary suspension of the GSP+ trade concession to Sri Lanka. In its Press Release notifying of the decision, the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission (EC) observed that “the suspension of the GSP+ benefits is temporary, as the overarching EU objective remains to use the GSP+ as an incentive to underpin improvements” and, “will only take effect in six months time”.

The Press Release went on to say that “once sufficient progress has been made, the Commission will propose to EU Member States that the decision taken today be reversed and the GSP+ benefits restored”.

The Sri Lanka Government wishes to reiterate that it responsibly and diligently engaged with the EU on the GSP+ issue during a period of unprecedented turbulence, when the very existence of the nation was threatened by a severe terrorist onslaught.

A series of high-level political consultations took place during that time, wherein several senior Ministers of the Sri Lanka Cabinet, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of International Trade, made it a point to share views with their counterparts, both in the EU Institutions as well as in the EU Member States.


The Sri Lanka Government’s observations on the European Commission “Report on the Findings of the Investigation on the Effective Implementation of Certain Human Rights Conventions in Sri Lanka” forwarded to the EC in Brussels on 6th November 2009, spelt out in detail the constant measures adopted to safeguard human rights, while pointing to the progressive amelioration of the situation, with the end of LTTE terrorism.

The observations also established that the action deemed necessary during this period was undertaken in full conformity with internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence and governance.

Sri Lanka values her longstanding relations with the EU. Sri Lanka will therefore continue her engagement with the EU in the upcoming 6 months with a view to sensitizing the European side through a constructive dialogue, concerning both the rapid, demonstrable and sustainable progress that has been gained since the end of the conflict situation, as well as the further steps that would be taken in that direction.

In this context, the Sri Lanka Government wishes to point out that the purposefulness of such an engagement would be considerably heightened, if both parties were to act with sincerity and in a manner respectful of one another. The setting of unattainable targets and the shifting of goal posts will only hamper the efforts of the parties.

The engagement will also need to be sensitive to the sovereign prerogative of the people of Sri Lanka, to chart their nation’s course.

The Sri Lanka Government is confident that the EU and its Member States would, during the process of engagement, pay due attention to the manifold challenges yet faced by Sri Lanka, as a democracy that fought a decisive battle against terrorism. The Sri Lanka Government is hopeful that the unbroken engagement with the EU, would result in the timely reversal of the temporary suspension, thereby enabling the people of Sri Lanka to continue to draw on the GSP+ facility for their economic empowerment, including for the post-conflict recovery and rehabilitation of the North and of the East.