The Government is planning to engage the United Kingdom, Scandinavian countries and other member states of the European Union effectively, in a bid to secure the Generalised Sales Preference (GSP) Plus scheme, government sources told Daily  FT


Sri Lanka is presently at a critical juncture, facing the threat of losing the GSP Plus scheme, which will affect the jobs of thousands in the apparel industry and other industries where the EU grants preferential treatment under the scheme.


According to highly placed Foreign Ministry sources, the government is planning to challenge in the European Council  the credibility of the report of the expert panel on Sri Lanka, which will be submitted to the EC by the end of September or early October. Sri Lanka expects to provide evidence to the effect that the expert report does not reflect a balanced view on Sri Lanka. The government may try to elicit evidence from UN and other international reports in an effort to prove its case.


President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently appointed a four member top level ministerial committee to canvass the EU member states to look at the problems Sri Lanka faces in a broader perspective, without narrowing it down to one or two issues.


The ministerial committee comprising of International Trade Minister, G.L.Pereis, Justice Minister Milinda Moragoda, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama are yet to meet in this connection.


President Rajapaksa, appointing the ministerial committee, said that all four ministers would function as co-chairs and that all are accountable to the President.


The President, briefing the ministers, had directed them to lobby the EU politically and talk to all the countries that matter, while maintaining Sri Lanka’s  self respect.


Minister Moragoda has had the opportunity of meeting with British First Secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, during his recent visit to the United Kingdom. The British First Secretary originally initiated the GSP action against Sri Lanka. Minister Moragoda has briefed Lord Peter Mandelson on Sri Lanka’s concerns on the actions taken against Sri Lanka relating to the GSP Plus scheme.


The government’s view is that the United Kingdom will hold sway in the decision against Sri Lanka. The position taken by the United Kingdom is respected by many EU member countries. The US attitude towards Sri Lanka will also reinforce the view of the UK, Foreign Ministry sources pointed out.


The actions of the United Kingdom depend totally on the credibility of the report on Sri Lanka by the expert panel., whose conclusions will, in all likelihood,  be respected. It is Minister Moragoda’s view that Sri Lanka should engage the UK at a political level while having an effective dialogue with the European Commission.


He also said that the government will be compelled to respond to the findings of the expert panel and present its case. If it doesn’t, it will be construed as an unwillingness to cooperate and Sri Lanka would be found guilty by default.


However, Sri Lanka will not submit itself to a process of investigation. “We will engage the EU in dialogue on their concerns,” the Minister pointed out. He added that most of the EU member states want to help Sri Lanka to secure the GSP Plus scheme,  but they are of the view that Sri Lanka should “help itself’ by providing them with a better brief on the ground situation in the country.