The British Tamils Forum (BTF), the Swedish Tamils Forum (STF) and United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) have urged the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament to reevaluate Sri Lanka’s human rights situation before awarding GSP+ concessions.

 “We respectfully disagree with the European Commission's recommendation to reinstate GSP+,” BTF General Secretary Ravi Kumar said.

 “Recent reports from UN treaty monitoring bodies and UN Experts demonstrate that the government of Sri Lanka has not done enough to address serious human rights abuses.”

 He cited the UN Committee Against Torture December report findings that that torture remained a 'common practice' by the police in Sri Lanka – ‘This indicates a serious failure to implement the Convention Against Torture,” Kumar said.

 President of the United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) Dr. Karunyan Arulanantham said, “We urge the European Parliament to take the full four months to review Sri Lanka's GSP+ application.”

“This will give the EU time to seek a briefing from the High Commissioner and obtain his in-depth knowledge of Sri Lanka's adherence to and shortcomings with the human rights conventions required under GSP+.  The full four months will also provide the time needed to review the High Commissioner's report,” he said.

“We all want economic development in Sri Lanka.  But for development to benefit all communities human rights protections must be in place,” Govindarajah Jeganmohan, Chairman of the Swedish Tamils Forum (STF) said.  “Sri Lankans, including Tamils, Muslims, journalists and human rights defenders, continue to face human rights abuses.  State impunity persists.  GSP+ should only be provided once the rights of all of Sri Lanka's citizens are respected and the rule of law is upheld.”

The EU withdrew GSP+ benefits to Sri Lanka in 2010 in response to persistent human rights abuses.  On January 11, 2017, following lobbying by the new government, the European Commission recommended reinstatement of GSP+ trade benefits to Sri Lanka.  The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union now have up to four months to raise objections before benefits are reinstated.