Dark clouds gather over Cambodia’s garment industry
Bonus dispute and looming loss of EU trade preferences increase worries for 700,000 workers.
By La Croix - February 9, 2019

Sok Eng recently got her job back. The 39-year-old garment worker was fired a few months ago because management at Eastex Garment Co. in Phnom Penh were angry with her for setting up a small labor union.

Now that she’s back at work, she has new concerns. “One or two years ago, the factory ended the contracts of more than 1,000 workers because of a lack of orders. I fear that in the near future more of us will lose our jobs,” she says.

These are gloomy times for Cambodia's garment industry, the country's biggest informal employer. The industry is confronted with two major challenges: a fight over seniority bonuses and the impact of the possible suspension of Cambodia from a lucrative trade scheme with the European Union.

The most pressing concern is about a new rule that workers are entitled to seniority bonuses twice a year. Workers support the plan but fear that employers will somehow find a way to pay them less than they are entitled to. The first payment is due in June.

"There's a lot of confusion among my colleagues," says Doung Tola, a worker at E Garment Co. "There are questions about the size of the bonus, and it's unclear how much you will receive if you have worked at a factory for six or seven years. We are waiting for a clear explanation from the prime minister."
In full: https://international.la-croix.com/news ... ustry/9428

It doesnt help when the eu come to vist and see more Rolls Royces and bentley per metre that London, a massive construction boom and ridiculous nad and proprty prices. In theory with this much money sloshing around cambodia should be pretybself sufficiaent, if the rich would pay somne tax.

Todays news.

US Scraps Preferential Trade Agreement with India.

Who's next ?

April 11, 2019 / 5:49 PM /
Cambodia takes EU to court over rice import tariffs

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Cambodia has filed a challenge at the European Court of Justice against the European Union’s decision to impose import duties on Cambodian rice.

The bloc imposed tariffs for three years in January on rice from Cambodia and Myanmar to curb what it said was a surge in imports as a safeguard to protect EU producers such as Italy.

However, the Cambodian Rice Federation said on Thursday the safeguard measure did not relate to any unfair behavior and was based on broad generalizations and the flawed use of data.

A majority of EU countries had backed the introduction of measures, but not the sufficient “qualified majority” of member states normally required. The European Commission then took the decision to go ahead itself.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-c ... 7S?rpc=401

This kind of EU Bullshit which does not take in account of all the changes that were made in Labor Law, consultations with NGO on a regular base, constant raids of massage parlors to combat human trafficking, constant raids on Karaoke and Disco Venues to combat drug trafficking and use, tightening the Tax Laws and regulations, cracking down on illegal immigrants (incl. westerners that overstay or have no passport, money etc.) They even let former opposition Lawmakers go back into politics while staying tough on the prime arsonist S.R. And finally landgrabbing has been reduced substantially with the cadastral mapping making super progress. So what the friggin f. do they want ?

The country is doing extremely well and digging out problems the country had more than 10-15 years ago is just outright ignorant and stupid.

kaputt wrote: ↑Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:54 pm This kind of EU Bullshit which does not take in account of all the changes that were made in Labor Law, consultations with NGO on a regular base, constant raids of massage parlors to combat human trafficking, constant raids on Karaoke and Disco Venues to combat drug trafficking and use, tightening the Tax Laws and regulations, cracking down on illegal immigrants (incl. westerners that overstay or have no passport, money etc.) They even let former opposition Lawmakers go back into politics while staying tough on the prime arsonist S.R. And finally landgrabbing has been reduced substantially with the cadastral mapping making super progress. So what the friggin f. do they want ?

The country is doing extremely well and digging out problems the country had more than 10-15 years ago is just outright ignorant and stupid.

Not dictatorship, perhaps?

This kind of EU Bullshit which does not take in account of all the changes that were made in Labor Law, To suite the business owners,consultations with NGO on a regular base,To tell them to toe the line or get tossed out constant raids of massage parlors to combat human trafficking,When it suits them to do so constant raids on Karaoke and Disco Venues to combat drug trafficking and use, Twice in the last month and both political moves tightening the Tax Laws and regulations,But not to apply to the power players with the big money cracking down on illegal immigrants (incl. westerners that overstay or have no passport, money etc.)Yep Vietnamese and barangs found sleeping in the streets They even let former opposition Lawmakers go back into politics After they must plead with HE but are not allowed to have their party back and KS still locked away while staying tough on the prime arsonist S.R. And finally landgrabbing has been reduced substantially with the cadastral mapping making super progress.Probably because the big wigs have already grabbed the land they want. So what the friggin f. do they want ?

The country is doing extremely wellFor a authoritarian regime and digging out problems the country had more than 10-15 years ago is just outright ignorant and stupid.

Cambodia Says Meetings On For Potential EU Rice Import Complaint
By Marvie Chorawan-Basilan
Apr 22, 2019 07:18 PM

Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce has just confirmed that the government is currently discussing whether or not a complaint against the European Union (EU) is reasonable following the bloc's tariffs on Cambodian rice imports.

According to the Khmer Times, Ministry spokesman Seang Thay revealed that the ministry is in the process of collecting necessary data before making a final decision on the potential complaint. "We are now at the stage of collecting data and concrete information."

While there were earlier reports about the Cambodian government lodging a complaint with the European Court of Justice, Thay said he cannot confirm the information.

Reuters reported that the Cambodian government decided to take the EU rice tariffs to court but Thay said he is unaware of this information. He added that there is no "specific timeframe" on the complaint's submission since the panel is still reviewing information.

On the other hand, Thay said the complaint against the EU will push through if the panel and legal experts conclude that Cambodia has a "good chance of winning." Thay's comments came after the EU imposed tariffs on Cambodian rice earlier this year.
https://en.businesstimes.cn/articles/11 ... plaint.htm

April 29, 2019 / 11:12 AM / a day ago
Cambodian PM says China ready to help if EU imposes sanctions
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - China will help Cambodia if the European Union (EU) withdraws special market access over its rights record, Cambodian Prime Minister HE said on Monday as he announced a 600 million yuan ($89 million) Chinese aid package for his military.

HE, who is on a five-day trip to China to attend a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum in Beijing, held bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping and signed several agreements with Cambodia’s most important ally.

Cambodia benefits from the EU’s “Everything But Arms” trade scheme which allows the world’s least developed countries to export most goods to the EU free of duties.

But Cambodia risks losing the special access to the world’s largest trading bloc over its human rights records.

During a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Li pledged to help Cambodia if the EU withdraws the market access, according to a post on HE’s official Facebook page.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cambo ... KKCN1S50NY