Fashion United

As if the recent decision by the European Union to partially withdraw Cambodia's preferential access to the European market under the "Everything but Arms" (EBA) programme wasn’t bad enough, now the coronavirus outbreak is threatening the country’s apparel and textile industry further: With textile supplies from China being delayed or cancelled, up to 160,000 Cambodian garment workers could face the shutdown of their factories by the end of the month.

The EU Commission decided on Wednesday to partially withdraw Cambodia's preferential access to the European market under the "Everything but Arms" (EBA) programme because of continued and serious human rights violations.

About 90,000 Cambodian apparel and textile workers could be out of a job if the proposed trade sanctions by the European Union cause fashion brands to source elsewhere, fear workers’ rights groups.

Since the European Commission announced on 11th February of this year that Cambodia could possibly lose its trade status "Everything but Arms" (EBA), some 800,000 seamstresses in Cambodia have been living in fear of losing their livelihood.