SRI LANKA MUST WIN THE PR BATTLE FOR ITS ECONOMIC FUTURE

Every few years, Sri Lanka finds itself at the same crossroads, compelled to prove, once again, that it deserves continued access to the European Union's GSP+ trade concession.

- By Farzana Baduel

Each renewal becomes a political and public relations battle, one that tests not only Sri Lanka's diplomatic agility but also the country's ability to communicate its values to the world.

At stake is far more than trade bureaucracy. The Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) is the lifeline of Sri Lanka’s export economy, particularly its apparel industry, which employs hundreds of thousands and represents over 40 percent of total exports. The tariff-free access it grants to EU markets allows Sri Lankan-made garments to remain competitively priced against global rivals like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia. If Sri Lanka loses it, the economic shock will reverberate from factory floors in Katunayake and Koggala to the boardrooms of Colombo and beyond.

The EU's current GSP+ concession for Sri Lanka expires in 2027. To renew it, the government must reapply and demonstrate compliance with international human rights, labour, and governance standards; a process that invites scrutiny not only from Brussels bureaucrats but from advocacy groups, trade unions, and diaspora networks across Europe. The playing field is not purely economic; it is also ideological and emotional. In that context, Sri Lanka’s greatest vulnerability is not just policy noncompliance, but the failure to communicate progress and principle effectively. This is where public relations, both governmental and corporate becomes not a cosmetic exercise, but an instrument of national interest.

The Cost of Silence

When the EU temporarily suspended GSP+ in 2010, Sri Lanka lost billions in export earnings and thousands of jobs. It was not just about missed compliance targets; it was about perception. The EU viewed Sri Lanka as unresponsive to concerns around governance and human rights. The government at the time struggled to tell its story, to show that it was committed to reform, reintegration, and rebuilding after decades of conflict.