Can't wait for this to come into effect.

Cambodia’s economy under fire from possible EBA loss, says industry expert
By: Tassilo Brinzer - Posted on: October 12, 2018 | Business
Industry insider Marco Kalinna, managing director of Cosmos Services, a garment trade supplier in Phnom Penh, and board member of the German Business Group in Cambodia, speaks with Southeast Asia Globe about the European Union’s review and possible retraction of its Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement with Cambodia

The announced review of the Everything But Arms agreement will bear results in a year. Does that mean Cambodian garment producers can relax for the moment, and the industry is shielded for at least a year?
Not at all. Buyers are planning at least six months ahead prior to an upcoming season, during which they design and source materials, sample products and find the right production partner. They need planning security, and the review phase by the EU Commission might prevent them from making a decision for a Cambodian production. This might not yet affect the spring/summer collections, but certainly autumn/winter 2019 might be concerned, where production usually starts around May or June.

What would be the additional cost for Cambodian-made garments and shoes in Europe?
Export cost to the EU would rise by approximately 10 to 15%. Given the already relatively high cost of production in Cambodia and the anticipated continued rise of the minimum wage, such a cost increase could indeed mean that products will be ordered from other markets, such as Bangladesh, the Ukraine or even Turkey...
http://sea-globe.com/cambodia-economy-u ... -eba-loss/

EuroCHAM Cambodia Issues Joint Letter Against EBA Withdrawal
17/10/18 14:33
Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 16 - The chairmen of the international chambers of commerce, including the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, the French Cambodian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFC), the German Companies Group in Cambodia (ADW ), North European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (NordCham), and Italian Business Association in Cambodia addressed a special letter to Cecilia Malmstrom, Commissioner for European Trade Commission, in the protest against the withdrawal of Everything But Arms (EBA) schemes from Cambodia.

EuroCHAM Cambodia’s full letter is available below:
=FRESH NEWS

Moody’s warns of ‘credit negative’ if Cambodia loses EBA
By Fibre2Fashion -
October 31, 2018

Cambodia’s potential loss of its Everything But Arms (EBA) preferential trade access to the European Union (EU) would weaken its economic growth and lead to a credit negative, Moody’s Investors Services has cautioned. With a B2/stable sovereign rating, it would undermine the price competitiveness of its garment exports unless they are offset by productivity gains.

Read more...

https://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/text ... etails.htm

Cambodia's HE eases pressure on unions, as EU sanctions threat looms
7 November 2018
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Prime Minister HE told his ministers to ease pressure on labour union leaders on Wednesday, after threats by the European Union to remove the Southeast Asian country's duty-free trading access.

The EU began a formal procedure last month to strip Cambodia of its "Everything but Arms (EBA)" initiative, following a July general election that returned HE to power after 33 years in office and gave his party all parliamentary seats.

In a speech to 20,000 factory workers on Wednesday, HE urged his ministries of justice and labour to speed up or drop any pending court cases against union leaders.

"Cases that should be handled, handle them quickly. Cases that are not being handled, drop them, finish them, so that those union leaders don't feel like hostages," HE said.
"This will open up some freedom space for the unions," he said. "Let's make reconciliation and understanding of each other a priority."

HE did not refer to the EU threat to remove trade preferences.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/as ... s-10905632

Chheang Vun meets with Sylvain Waserman to discuss EBA issue
17 December 2018
Chheang Vun, chairman of National Assembly’s commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media today met with French National Assembly vice president Sylvain Waserman to discuss about Everything-but-arms scheme.

After meeting with National Assembly president Heng Samrin, Mr Sylvain met with Mr Vun to discuss about the Kingdom’s political situation, including EBA issue.

Mr Vun said that Mr Sylvain told him that he needed more information and will organise his group to help advocate with other parliaments, especially EU’s Assembly about Cambodia’s issue.

Mr Vun also told Mr Sylvain that the government has never received any international pressure.

“I told him that Prime Minister HE, CPP president and especially the Cambodian government absolutely does not use the country’s sovereignty and independence to exchange with fund or pressure,” Mr Vun said.

Mr Vun said that the EU also wanted Cambodia to reform some of the laws, including union law.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/560208/chh ... eba-issue/

Coons, Cruz introduce Cambodian Trade Act
Submitted News
Jan 9, 2019 at 5:00 PM Jan 9, 2019 at 5:21 PM

Sens. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced the Cambodian Trade Act of 2019, which would require the administration to review the preferential trade treatment Cambodia receives under the General System of Preferences.

“I question whether Cambodia should have preferential access to U.S. markets,” said Coons. “Countries that undermine democracy, ignore labor standards, disregard human rights and fail to protect intellectual property should not enjoy special trade privileges. During his 34-year reign, HE has shown his disdain for the rule of law and basic freedoms in Cambodia. I am pleased to introduce this bipartisan bill to reexamine Cambodia's eligibility for benefits under the largest and oldest U.S. trade preference program to hold the Cambodian government to account.”

“America has invested in the political future of Cambodia by establishing reliable trade and commerce, as codified in the Generalized System of Preferences,” said Cruz. “Cambodia’s Prime Minister HE has exploited preferential treatment afforded to it by the U.S. and Europe. He has failed to meet basic labor rights standards, undermined the integrity of elections in Cambodia, and tilted toward China. The Cambodian Trade Act aims to hold him and his government accountable for this behavior, and reinforces steps our European partners are taking.”

The full bill text is available at bit.ly/2FnyHMn.
http://www.milfordbeacon.com/news/20190 ... -trade-act

Cambodia businesses, unions ask EU not to impose trade sanctions
January 21, 2019 / 10:00 PM / Updated an hour ago
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian businesses and unions urged the European Union on Monday to not withdraw trade preferences from Cambodia over human rights concerns, saying such a decision would pose serious economic damage and harm millions of workers and their families.

The EU warned last year that it would strip Cambodia of its “Everything but Arms” (EBA) duty-free trading access, after long-time Prime Minister HE won every seat in a July general election following a crackdown on the opposition.

The 28-country bloc is Cambodia’s biggest export market, worth billions of euros a year.

A letter addressed to EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and seen by Reuters said the trade threat was most concerning for Cambodia’s rural women. “(They) make up 85 percent of the 700,000 garment workers and (are) therefore most likely to suffer ... from the social and economic repercussions of any change to the status quo,” it said.

The EBA withdrawal would threaten the income of another 3 million people, said the letter, which was signed by some pro-government unions, and the European and American Chambers of Commerce in Cambodia, among others.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-tr ... KKCN1PF1JI

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 11:02 pm Cambodia businesses, unions ask EU not to impose trade sanctions
January 21, 2019 / 10:00 PM / Updated an hour ago
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian businesses and unions urged the European Union on Monday to not withdraw trade preferences from Cambodia over human rights concerns, saying such a decision would pose serious economic damage and harm millions of workers and their families.

The EU warned last year that it would strip Cambodia of its “Everything but Arms” (EBA) duty-free trading access, after long-time Prime Minister HE won every seat in a July general election following a crackdown on the opposition.

The 28-country bloc is Cambodia’s biggest export market, worth billions of euros a year.

A letter addressed to EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and seen by Reuters said the trade threat was most concerning for Cambodia’s rural women. “(They) make up 85 percent of the 700,000 garment workers and (are) therefore most likely to suffer ... from the social and economic repercussions of any change to the status quo,” it said.

The EBA withdrawal would threaten the income of another 3 million people, said the letter, which was signed by some pro-government unions, and the European and American Chambers of Commerce in Cambodia, among others.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-tr ... KKCN1PF1JI

So if the EU cancel the EBA deal that gives Cambodian companies duty free imports to the EU as a response to issues of Cambodian government actions and judicial decisions then it is the EU who are at fault and are depriving the workers income if the companies have to pay fair import duties?

How many of the companies operating in Cambodia who sell to USA, EU and the world are wholly owned by Cambodian companies? Who owns the companies and whee does the profits go to?