Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has sought France’s support to secure the continuation of the European Union’s GSP+ trade concession, which is due to lapse at the end of 2026.
The request was made during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in New Delhi, where the two leaders met on the sidelines of an AI summit. Macron pledged France’s “full support” for Sri Lanka’s bid and indicated that further cooperation could be explored through bilateral trade engagement, according to The Sunday Times.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed that Colombo intends to reapply before December, noting that Sri Lanka had already outlined its position at the EU–Sri Lanka Joint Commission earlier this month. The meeting reviewed progress on governance, democracy, and human rights, including proposed steps to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and amend the Online Safety Act.
The EU has repeatedly stressed that continued access to duty-free markets is contingent on tangible reforms. Sri Lanka lost the concession in 2010 over human rights concerns and regained it in 2017. However, Brussels has maintained that conditions for eligibility remain stringent.
