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EU Commission seeks end to Burma ag
- Subject: EU Commission seeks end to Burma ag
- From: nin@xxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 08:59:00
Subject: EU Commission seeks end to Burma agriculture GSP
Subject: EU Commission seeks end to Burma agriculture GSP
(Adds background, details)
BRUSSELS, Feb 18 (Reuter) - The European Union may decide as
early as Monday to withdraw special trading privileges from
Burma's agricultural products.
Diplomatic sources said EU Foreign Ministers meeting in
Brussels on Monday will discuss a European Commission proposal
made on Tuesday to strip Burma of Generalised System of
Preferences (GSP) benefits on agricultural products.
The move comes amid growing unease over Rangoon's human
rights record.
The Commission said in a statement on Tuesday that it would
ask the foreign ministers to revoke Burma's GSP following an
investigation into Burmese labour practices.
The investigation follows complaints from international and
European trade union groups that Burma was using forced and
child labour to boost its exports.
The Commission said Burma refused to cooperate with the
Commission during the investigation.
In December, the European Commission scrapped Burma's
industrial GSP privileges for the same reason.
The latest move comes less than a week after EU foreign
ministers agonised with their Association of Southeast Asian
Nations counterparts over the best way to bring Burma back into
the international community.
The EU, which favours isolating Rangoon, was warned by ASEAN
ministers that it had no say in whether Burma would be made a
member of the Asian group.
REUTER
1205 180297 GMT