Dipu Moni to talk GSP with European leaders
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni will fly to Brussels next week and meet European Union high-ups to convince them to continue the generalised system of preferences for Bangladesh.
During the three-day visit from May 27, Dipu Moni will hold talks with High Representative of the European Union Catherine Ashton and EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht, foreign ministry officials said.
After the collapse of the Rana Plaza building that killed 1,127 people last month, the EU expressed concern and warned it would rethink Bangladesh's preferential trade access to the EU market.
The EU also said it would take actions that encourage better safety standards and labour conditions in Bangladesh.
The EU now provides GSP benefits through which Bangladesh receives duty-free and quota-free access to its market under the 'everything but arms' scheme.
The foreign minister will also brief the EU officials on the recent steps the government has taken to ensure workers rights and workplace safety and bring changes to labour law.
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