Abstract
With the introduction of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), the European Union (EU) developed a trade policy tool which allows easier access to the EU economic zone for emerging and developing countries through granting tariff preferences for the importation of industrial and agricultural products. The aim of the regulation is to support developing countries in their efforts towards poverty reduction, good governance and sustainable development (BMWI 2013; CARIS 2010, p. 21). This ambitious goal is to be achieved, among others, through the so-called GSP+ which grants a selection of countries additional tariff preferences if they meet certain criteria. One of the preconditions is the ratification of fundamental international conventions covering human rights and labour standards, the appropriate use of environmental resources and good governance. However, although the regulation has had an impact on the legislative framework in partner countries, when it comes down to driving changes at the operational level and to improving the actual conditions of production in those countries; the approach still reveals weaknesses (CARIS 2010, p. 10).
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Notes
- 1.
The study ‘Tariff preferences for sustainable products: An examination of the potential role of sustainability standards in generalised preference systems based on the European Union model (GSP)’ had been published in 2012 by The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
- 2.
The number of countries that currently benefit from preferential treatment under the GSP+ is 16.
- 3.
To be raised to 2 % in line with current EU proposals for reform of the GSP (CARIS 2011, p. 1).
- 4.
The number of countries that actually benefit is lower, as some have signed up to bilateral or multilateral trade agreements and already make use of these.
- 5.
The sectors examined in this study were chosen in the light of research (using data from the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Intracen database) into the main products imported into the EU from a selection of GSP countries.
- 6.
References
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Schukat, P., Rust, J., Baumhauer, J. (2014). Tariff Preferences for Sustainable Products: A Summary. In: Schmitz-Hoffmann, C., Schmidt, M., Hansmann, B., Palekhov, D. (eds) Voluntary Standard Systems. Natural Resource Management in Transition, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35716-9_27
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