European Union Removes Trade Benefits For Cambodia Over Human Rights Concerns

European Union Removes Trade Benefits for Cambodia Over Human Rights Concerns

The European Union has reinstated customs tariffs and quotas on various goods from Cambodia, including garments, shoes, and travel goods, due to sustained concerns over the state of human rights in the Asian country, the bloc said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th August, 2020) The European Union has reinstated customs tariffs and quotas on various goods from Cambodia, including garments, shoes, and travel goods, due to sustained concerns over the state of human rights in the Asian country, the bloc said on Wednesday.

The EU had raised its concerns this past November over alleged human rights abuses in Cambodia, and a resolution was passed in February on the partial and temporary withdrawal of trade privileges. This legislation has entered into effect as of Wednesday, Brussels said in a press release.

"Nonetheless, our continued support does not diminish the urgent need for Cambodia to respect human rights and labour rights. I stand ready to continue our engagement and to restore fully free access to the EU market for products from Cambodia provided we see substantial improvement in that respect," EU Commissioner for Trade, Phil Hogan, said in the press release.

Cambodia had previously benefited from being part of the EU's Everything But Arms initiative, which grants duty-free and customs-free access to the bloc's single market for all products, with the exception of weapons.

Roughly 20 percent of Cambodia's exports to the European Union will now be subject to general World Trade Organization tariffs, the bloc said.

The Human Rights Watch group has expressed concern over the increasing number of opposition lawmakers being detained in Cambodia following the 2018 general election, which saw the ruling Cambodian People's Party win all 125 seats in the country's parliament.