European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said the Everything but Arms (EBA) preferences that Bangladesh enjoys in exporting goods are “conditional,” as countries benefitting from the scheme have to respect human rights, including labour rights.
“This also goes for any future GSP+ application, should Bangladesh decide to apply,” he wrote in a letter on Thursday – a copy of which Dhaka Tribune has obtained – replying to a member of the European Parliament, Ivan Štefanec.
Štefanec (EPP, Slovak Republic) and five other MEPs – Michaela Šojdrová (EPP, Czech Republic), Andrey Kovatchev (EPP, Bulgaria), Karen Melchior (Renew, Denmark), Javier Nart (Renew, Spain) and Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA, Finland) – last month wrote to Borrell asking him to contribute to ensuring a free, fair and impartial general election in Bangladesh.
They also called for ending violations of human rights, the release of opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia, and engagement of the government with the BNP and other major political parties to find a sustainable and democratic solution to the country's political crisis.
Borrell is the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy as well as the vice president of the EU.
In the letter dated July 6, he replied that he followed the situation in Bangladesh closely and that he was well aware of the concerns the MEP had raised.
“Bangladesh has invited the EU to observe the elections. The EU highly appreciates this invitation and, as a first step, it will undertake an exploratory mission to the country to assess the advisability, usefulness and feasibility of an electoral observation mission.
“The EU encourages all parties and all citizens in Bangladesh to exercise their political rights and participate in the parliamentary elections. It is for all stakeholders to build confidence in the election. This should include genuine dialogue between the main parties and ample space for civil society. Safeguarding the key freedoms, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, is essential for democratic processes. Violence, on the other hand, has no place in these processes and should be avoided at all costs,” reads the letter.
Borrell continued: “We have a constant dialogue with the government of Bangladesh. As you rightly mentioned, we held the EU-Bangladesh joint commission and the subgroup on good governance and human rights in May 2022. Human rights, democracy, rule of law are integral parts of the EU's values and policies and we therefore regularly raise these issues with Bangladesh outside the format of the joint commission and its subgroups too.
“Bangladesh is a beneficiary of everything but arms trade preferences under the GSP and one of the countries under enhanced engagement owing to sustained concerns with respect to human and labour rights. The EU will issue in 2023 a report on the implementation of the GSP scheme covering the period 2020-2022. The report will include a section on progress achieved under enhanced engagement with Bangladesh.
“The EU has repeatedly underlined that EBA preferences are conditional on the respect of human rights, including labour rights, as reflected in the international conventions listed in the GSP regulations. This also goes for any future GSP+ application, should Bangladesh decide to apply.”
“The EU is closely following the health situation of the former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. It is crucial that she has access to the best possible medical treatment. The EU is in touch with the authorities,” adds the letter.
“The European Union and its member states will continue to engage with the government and all stakeholders in Bangladesh on human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” Borrell said.