Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref. : EIC 611/1/5

14 November 2019

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 829/2019

Notice to Exporters: Series 2 (EU) No. 14/2019

Textiles Trader Registration Circular No. 14/2019

Cambodia : The European Commission's Preliminary Report relating to Possible Temporary Withdrawal of Tariff Preferences provided to Cambodia

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 133/2019 dated 14 February 2019, this Circular informs traders that the European Commission ("Commission") sent its preliminary report to Cambodia on 12 November 2019 relating to possible temporary withdrawal of tariff preferences granted to Cambodia under the Everything But Arms ("EBA") trade scheme. Cambodia has one month to react to the report. The Commission will then finalise the report and make a decision in February 2020 on whether or not to temporarily withdraw Cambodia's tariff preferences under the EBA. Any withdrawal of tariff preferences by the Commission will come into effect after a further six-month grace period.

2.According to European Union ("EU")'s information, Cambodia is the second-largest beneficiary of EBA trade preferences, accounting for over 18% of all imports coming into the EU market under the EBA scheme in 2018. EU imports from Cambodia totalled €5.3 billion in 2018, 95% of which entered the EU duty-free taking advantage of EBA preferences. Clothing and textiles products accounted for around three quarters of EU imports from Cambodia (€4 billion).

3.For details, please refer to the relevant press release of the Commission at <https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=2080>.

ENQUIRIES

4.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact us on 2398 5594.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Serena YUEN)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry