The European Union Commission on Tuesday completed its preliminary report into human rights violations in Cambodia that could lead to a suspension of critical trade privileges, with opposition leader Sam Rainsy saying the pressure of sanctions was working to restore democracy.
The commission completed its report on Tuesday, after a three-month investigation period that ended in August 2019. The report has not been made public and will instead be sent to the Cambodian government, which has one month to send an official response.
Depending on the recommendations of the report, Cambodia could see a temporary suspension of the ‘Everything But Arms’ trade privileges, which is critical especially to its garment and footwear exports. An EU Commission statement on Tuesday pointed to Cambodia being the second-largest beneficiary of the EBA scheme, totaling around $5.5 billion in exports.
