TODAY

EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht visits Myanmar to reinforce trade relationship and launches a Handbook for Exporters on EU Trade Preferences

Yangon- European Commissioner for Trade, Karel De Gucht, has arrived today in Yangon for a 2-day official visit to Myanmar.This morning he attended an event hosted by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce (UMFCCI) to present to the business community a Handbook for Myanmar Exporters on EU Trade Preferences. The Handbook, which has been published in Burmese and in English, will be made available free of charge in printed version, as well as through the website of the Delegation of the European Union to Myanmar: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/myanmar/index_en.htm

The publication provides practical guidance for companies and institutions on the procedures to benefit of the “Everything But Arms” initiative under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), the most generous unilateral trade preferential system the EU offers to the Least Developed Countries. With the reinstatement of EU trade preferences in July 2013, Myanmar companies now enjoy duty-free and quota-free access to an European market of over 500 million consumers for all products except for arms and ammunitions.

Commissioner De Gucht expressed satisfaction for the fact that bilateral trade between Myanmar and the EU has already increased by 41% between 2012 and 2013. He said that “The EU stands ready to continue supporting Myanmar both as a trade and a development partner. We look forward to continue working with the Myanmar authorities and private sector  tostrenghten further our trade relationship“.

After the event Commissioner De Gucht left for Nay Piy Taw where he is expected to launch negotiations for an EU-Myanmar investment protection agreement.