EU partially lifts tariff incentives to Cambodia February 4: 4:50
The EU-European Union has announced that it will partly cease tariff incentives for the Cambodian government, which continues to tighten opposition.
The European Commission, which is the EU's executive body, said on Tuesday that preferential tariff measures to export all products other than weapons applied to Cambodia to the EU without tariffs will be exempted from exporting to the EU such as clothing and travel goods. It has announced that it will cancel measures in about one-fifth.
The EU has been examining the Hun Sen administration in Cambodia for sanctions on whether to end preferential tariff measures, saying it is tightening up opposition parties and deteriorating human rights.
The sanctions are to be invoked in August unless there is opposition from the European Parliament and the member states, and Hogan, who is in charge of trade policy in the EU, said, "Our aim is to let Cambodian authorities commit human rights abuses. That's the end. "
The Government of Cambodia has strongly opposed this announcement, saying, "I am sorry for the unfair decision of the European Commission. Misconceptions about Cambodia's reality have given dogmatic judgment."
In Cambodia, only 45% of adult exports are destined for the EU. Domestic sanctions are causing concerns over the economy, such as widening unemployment in the garment industry, where exports to the EU are particularly high.