Twenty-one major U.S., Canadian, European, and Hong Kong brands joined to call on Cambodia’s prime minister to respond to concerns raised through multiple channels with government leaders.
In a May 2, 2019 letter the companies expressed their growing concern regarding the labor and human rights situation in Cambodia, which threatens trade preferences for Cambodia. The European Union’s February 11 decision to review Cambodia’s Everything But Arms benefits, and recently introduced legislation in the U.S. Congress to review Cambodia’s Generalized System of Preferences benefits, are worrying developments for companies that value sourcing from Cambodia.
The companies seek a response to a November 1, 2018 letter that detailed recommendations that, if implemented, could demonstrate real progress toward respecting trade unions and civil society, and keeping Cambodia’s trade benefits in place.