EU takes official decision to cut GSP concessions to Sri Lanka

The European Union decided Monday to withdraw trade concessions in August granted to Sri Lanka after the government failed to make a written commitment to improve its human rights record, an AFP report quoting a EU statement from Brussels said.

Sri Lanka will "temporarily" lose its preferential access to the EU market from August 15 after it missed a July 1 deadline to deliver the pledge, the EU said in a statement. 

The EU had offered to delay its action by six months in exchange for the written assurances. 

"We very much regret the choice of Sri Lanka not to take up an offer made in good faith and in line with the EU commitment to a global human rights agenda," EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement. 

"We will however keep the door open for Sri Lanka to return to talks," she said. 

The GSP+ scheme gives 16 poor nations preferential access to the vast European market in return for following strict commitments on a variety of social and rights issues.