New GSP Regulation: European Parliament and Council fail to reach agreement in latest negotiations

The EU’s Parliament and Council remain in negotiations (trilogue) over the Commission’s proposed GSP Regulation which should succeed the current regulation expiring in 2023. The latest trilogue discussions were taking place on 12 June. The next trilogue meeting is scheduled towards mid to end June.

The Director General of Trade, Sabine Weyand shared with trade civil society and stakeholders during a meeting on Tuesday 13 June, that the positions of the Parliament and Council are still far apart on the subject of linking migration, asylum and readmission to the GSP preferences, and compromise texts from the Commission had so far failed to bridge the gap.

Therefore, the Commission is in parallel preparing legislative text that would roll-over the current GSP Regulation beyond 1 January 2024, as the Commission is keep to ensure that the GSP preferences are maintained as developments tools and that beneficiary countries do not experience a “cliff-hanger” with preferences being withdrawn before the new GSP Regulation enters in to force .

Contact: Lebo Mofolo, lmofolo@frucom.eu