Underlining that a lot would depend on human rights record, the head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Bangladesh, Rensje Teerink, maintained the country (Bangladesh) will have to meet the EU’s new criteria on human rights to retain its duty-free market access to the bloc.
This was claimed by media reports, which quoted Rensje Teerink in this regard.
Bangladesh will have to comply with the new criteria on the human rights to enjoy the benefit on exports as a major beneficiary of the Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative, reportedly, maintained the head of the EU delegation to Bangladesh, speaking to the media.
It may be mentioned here that the EU is a major export destination for Bangladesh — around 61 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports are destined for the EU — with export of apparels to EU (which constitutes for about 85 per cent of the country’s overall exports) rising to US $ 27.95 billion in 2019-20 from that of US $ 12.49 billion in fiscal 2009-10.
This is as per a recent study of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
According to reports, the European Council on 7 December adopted a decision and a regulation establishing a global human rights sanctions regime, which will allow the bloc (EU) to target bodies, individuals and entities (including state and non-state actors) responsible for, involved in or associated with serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide, irrespective of where they occurred.
