The EU is Cambodia's second biggest trading partner after the US. Cambodia's exports are dominated by garments, footwear and agricultural products. Cambodia even exported more than 1.42 million bicycles last year, passing Taiwan as the leading exporter to the EU. It Cambodia has duty-free access to the EU for exports of all products, except arms and ammunition.

But this is conditional on compliance with a long list of international human rights standards, including civil and political rights and labor rights. About 80 per cent of the increase in Cambodia's exports since 2007 has been to markets offering preferential access.

But no amount of diplomacy can explain away the reality of Cambodia's horrific human rights record. Various reports by the UN and human rights groups have been sounding alarm for years. There has been a ruthless crackdown on human rights and the dismantling of the rule of law and democratic institutions in Cambodia. An association representing the country’s roughly 600 garment and footwear factories is worried about the impact on the industry if the EU amends or removes trade preferences for Cambodia. The soft diplomatic approach favored by some in the EU has proven to be a waste of time.