Cambodia feels the GSP granted by the US doesn’t go far enough. Cambodia has duty free and quota free status from the US for 82.6 per cent of its products. The country feels this does not cover products with potential which it can produce and export to the United States. Instead, Cambodia says its main products including luggage and leather goods are charged duty. It wants the United States to consider offering duty free preference to such commodities under a system that will ensure that Cambodia will truly benefit from exports to the US and have more market access to the US.

Improving working conditions in factories was one of the main criteria set by the US when it granted preferential trade treatment. And Cambodia says it has performed well in improving conditions of garment workers who are now paid decent salaries, allowing many families to get out of poverty. Cambodia’s garment and footwear sector exports rose by 7.2 per cent in 2016 compared to 2015. The country gets 100 per cent preference from Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland and 99 per cent preference from the EU under the Everything But Arms clause.