Sri Lanka to benefit greatly from EU’s extension of ‘GSP Plus’
‘Lankan entrepreneurs being perceived positively’:
Hiran H. Senewiratne
|
VAST BENEFITS: Lanka could benefit from garments exports.
|
GSP SCHEME: The European Union will consider extending the ‘GSP Plus’
trade agreement following its termination next year, to provide
continuous access to markets for entrepreneurs in developing nations,
Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Sri Lanka, Reynout Van
Dijk, said.
“Sri Lankan entrepreneurs are being perceived in Europe positively.
Therefore it is quite easy for them to enter Netherlands and other EU
countries”, Dijk said at a meeting organised by the European Chamber of
Commerce of Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The theme of the meeting was “Future
of European Development Assistance and Trade”.
GSP Plus, a EU trade policy, aims to contribute towards a more
equitable integration of developing countries into the international
trading system through coherent action on three levels: namely,
multilateral, bilateral and autonomous measures.
Under the policy more than 3500 products could be exported to EU
countries on a duty free basis and Sri Lanka is one of the few countries
enjoying the full benefits of this trade policy.
He said his predictions are very positive that EU would further
extend the term of the ‘GSP Plus’ trade agreement to Sri Lankan and to
other developing countries.
‘The most important thing is to create a positive image of the
country in the human rights aspect,’ he said.
He said the EU has a very positive image of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs
as they conform to corporate responsibility, good governance and best
business practices.
Sri Lanka has high skilled labour standards, which could enter the
lucrative EU markets quite easily. EU countries, including Netherlands,
are important trade partners for Sri Lanka which has a great potential
for trade, Dijk said.
Dijk said that there is a lot of room for joint ventures between the
Sri Lanka and Netherlands and other EU countries. The Dutch Ambassador
said that trade chambers could play an important role and that
development corporations will have a slow death in time to come.
He said that being close to the Indian subcontinent is a major
advantage for Sri Lanka because India is one of the emerging markets in
the world.
|
