Tens of thousands of garment workers in Cambodia could be exploited if proposed European Union (EU) trade sanctions cause major fashion brands to downsize their operations in the Southeast Asian nation, labour rights activists are warning.
The garment industry is Cambodia’s largest employer and generates $7bn annually. Still, it faces uncertainty after the EU this year began a process that could see tariffs reintroduced next August.
The European Union Chamber of Commerce estimates that 90,000 jobs would be at risk if the EU suspended special trade preferences over Cambodia’s record on democracy and human rights.