The European Commission has activated the process of withdrawal of tariff benefits for Cambodia, the country that made the most progress in the implementation of collective bargaining in textiles. The garment industry would be one of the most affected by this measure, since exterior sales in the sector account for 75 per cent of the total. Cambodia is one of the main countries that benefit from the Everything but Arms (EBA) program, which allows least developed countries in the world to export to the European Union with zero tariff.

However, commercial preferences may be temporarily removed if violations of human and labour rights are determined. The European Executive considered the general elections last summer in the country were not fair. Even before the elections, the European Commission had already warned the Asian country about the worsening situation.

The European government activated the process after current political party in Cambodia illegalised the one in the opposition just before the voting. Finally, in October, the European Commission implemented the process. Since then, Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen, has kept standing firm in his politics.