The Philippine garment industry plans to petition the European Commission, asking it not to consider calls for the country to lose its Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) access to European Union (EU) markets.

The call follows a resolution adopted by the European Parliament in late September calling on the European Commission to temporarily withdraw the Philippines’ access from the scheme because of human rights abuses.

Access to GSP+ can be suspended if a country breaches a wide range of human rights conventions – such concerns, for instance, led to Sri Lanka losing this status in 2010 (it was restored in 2017).

Robert Young, trustee for the textiles, yarns and fabrics sector of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) and the president of the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (Fobap) said the clothing sector would resist a loss of GSP+ status.

It was planning an official communication to the European Commission, which would have to propose such a move. Fobap will also request an easing of origin rules that have prevented the Philippine clothing sector from making the most of this trade status, Young added.

The GSP+ program grants the Philippines the benefit of exporting more than 6,000 products to any of the 27-EU member countries at zero tariff. Products on the list include textiles, garments, headwear, footwear, furniture and chemicals.