Category: Trade

SEOUL, May 23, 2010 (AFP) – South Korea, China and Japan’s trade ministers have agreed to work towards creating a free-trade region grouping their three countries, according to a joint statement issued Sunday. The three ministers confirmed they would complete within two years a feasibility study on creating the trade bloc, said the statement issued […]

May 19, 2010 (LBO) – The European Union is likely to remain a lucrative market for Sri Lankan exporters with talks to extend a trade deal giving duty free access to Europe being positive, the EU envoy said. EU ambassador Bernard Savage said talks between Sri Lanka and the EU on extending the GSP Plus […]

STRASBOURG, May 18, 2010 (AFP) – The European parliament on Tuesday called for clothes sold in Europe to clearly show the country of origin, in order to easily identify products from nations where production costs are low. EU Industry Commissioner Antoni Tajani stressed the need to prevent dumping on European markets. The EU MPs, meeting […]

May 07, 2010 (LBO) – The European Union office in Sri Lanka said the EU had not given the island’s government a ‘list of conditions’ to meet to renew a trade deal nor was it dependant on ‘any single measure’. The EU office said in a statement a government delegation will visit EU headquarters in […]

May 06, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is to dispatch a team of officials to Brussels later this month to try to extend a key European Union trade deal that is to be withdrawn on human rights concerns, an official said. Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris told parliament the team for talks on May 20-21 will […]

May 03, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is one of the countries included in a trade finance deal between the Asian Development Bank and Germany’s Commerzbank to share risks to support increased trade in developing Asia. According to an ADB statement, the Risk Participation Agreement signed on the sidelines of the bank’s 43rd annual meeting […]

Apr 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan exporters should reduce reliance on traditional Western markets where demand will decline, and diversify into booming Asian economies, Asian Development Bank officials said. While exports are recovering after being hit by global recession last year, reduced consumption in key US and European markets are likely to dampen the […]

April 14, 2010 (AFP) – Iran plans nearly to double its purchase of Sri Lankan tea, the island’s main export commodity, Sri Lanka’s government said Wednesday, announcing a move that could boost tea prices. Sri Lanka’s tea promotion board said they expected the Iranian move to further strengthen prices, which have risen by 29. 47 […]

Apr 13, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan exporters have called for more streamlined customs clearance to help reduce costs and be more competitive in overseas markets. Although clearing facilities are available for airfreight cargo round-the-clock, seven days of the week, “in regard to other cargo only perishable cargo is provided such a facility,” the NCE […]

Apr 08, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports fell in January 2010 owing to a sharp fall in apparel shipments, the island’s main industrial export, despite higher agricultural export earnings, interrupting a recovery in the export sector, the Central Bank said. The bank said in a statement that exports fell 3. 9 percent to 472 […]

Apr 06, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s shipping community is trying to raise more awareness of trade and logistics among the work force and students to try to overcome a critical shortage of skilled people, officials said. Organisers said they also hope to encourage schools leavers and university students to look at logistics as alternative […]

GENEVA, March 22, 2010 (AFP) – Scant progress has been made in talks for a global trade pact, top negotiators told World Trade Organisation member states Monday, dampening hopes of a deal in the Doha Round soon. The round of negotiations for a trade liberalisation deal are primarily aimed at removing obstacles to trade for […]