A high-level multi-party delegation, led by Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, M.U.M. Ali Sabry, MP, engaged in an interactive discussion with a visiting European Union (EU) delegation led by Heidi Hautala, a Finnish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) hailing from the group of the Greens. Hautala holds the prestigious positions of Vice-President and Rapporteur for the New Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Regulation of the European Parliament.

The dialogue centered on issues pertinent to bilateral cooperation, aiming to further solidify the ties between the legislatures of Sri Lanka and the EU. The Sri Lankan side provided the MEPs with an overview of the current economic and political developments in the country, as well as updates on the progress made in reconciliation and the human rights situation, including the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Heidi Hautala, EU Co-chair, welcomed the advancements in EU-Sri Lanka bilateral relations and shed light on topics of significance to the EU. These included the adoption of new climate-friendly regulations within the EU, such as the European Green Deal, the Ukraine conflict, inflation in the European region, and future EU integration.

During the discussion, the Sri Lankan delegation underscored the importance of GSP+ concessions, which provide duty-free access for Sri Lanka's exports to the EU market. They requested the support of the European Parliament to maintain continued access to these concessions.

The meeting saw the participation of the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tharaka Balasuriya, along with eight MPs representing both the Government and Opposition parties of Sri Lanka. This included members from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK).

The visiting EU delegation featured prominent European Parliament members, including Zdzislaw Marek Krasnodebski, a Polish MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), Karsten Lucke, a German MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S & D), and Ausra Maldeikiene, a Lithuanian MEP from the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats/EPP).

Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka, as well as officials from the EU Delegation in Colombo, also participated in this significant meeting.