Cambodia’s footwear industry has reiterated calls for the European Commission to postpone the partial withdrawal of the country’s preferential access to the EU market under the Everything But Arms (EBA) trade scheme – claiming the move will encourage buyers to shift sourcing from Cambodia to other countries.
In a statement today (31 July), the Cambodian Footwear Association (CFA) says the Covid-19 pandemic has already resulted in the loss of 30,000-40,000 jobs in the footwear sector and notes it is deeply worried about the additional impact on members when the trade benefit is withdrawn.
Cambodia is currently set to lose its duty-free benefits on some garment and footwear products and all travel goods from 12 August in response to concerns over the government’s “serious and systematic violations” of four human and labour rights conventions. After this date, the products will incur duties at the WTO’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate.
