EU delegates urge PTA repeal | Daily News

EU delegates urge PTA repeal

MEP Jean Lambert
MEP Jean Lambert

Sri Lanka is making progress on the promises that brought the country back into the European Union’s GSP+ tax benefit program, EU representatives said in Colombo yesterday.

“We have seen a number of positive changes,” said MEP Jean Lambert, the chair of the delegation to South Asia, such as the establishment of the Office of Missing Persons.

But Lambert emphasized that Sri Lanka should immediately repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the law that allows the government to hold people suspected of terrorist links without charges.

“We’re very disappointed to see that we have still not got change on the statute books,” she said.

“There are still people detained under the PTA, some of whom have been detained for a considerable number of years,” she added. “We’d like to see those cases reviewed, and people either charged or released.”

Membership to GSP+ relies on developing countries upholding 27 international conventions on civic, human,labour, and environmental rights. The trade relationship allows Sri Lanka to pay lower duties on exports to the EU.

Sri Lanka lost its GSP+ membership in 2010 after UN investigations found serious human rights violations during the war.

Though Lambert said repealing the PTA is a “key issue” for the European Parliament, she said that a full reporting review on Sri Lanka’s status would not happen for another two years.

“Momentum cannot be lost,” she said. “This process needs to be seen to be moving.”

Regarding long-term membership to GSP+, “we want it to work,” she said. 

 


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