Top national forum on EU starts today

A top national forum, participated by experts from such international entities as UNCTAD and the Commonwealth Secretariat, will be in session in Colombo today.

‘EU Trade Policy and the Way Forward for Sri Lanka’ organised by the Department of Commerce in close collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and in coordination with the Commonwealth Secretariat in London will start its sessions in the morning at the Sri Lanka Export Development Board Auditorium, Colombo 2.

“This is a good opportunity for our exporters who are trying to penetrate the EU markets,” said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce.

Speakers and panellists are drawn from international experts in subject areas, as well as from the public and private sectors of Sri Lanka. Among Institutions giving presentations in the session are IPS (Colombo), UNCTAD, the Commonwealth Secretariat, Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka and academics from Sri Lankan universities.

Among the topics discussed during the forum will be ‘Overview and principal WTO Notifications since 2005,’ ‘Doha Round and Prospects for Regionalism,’ ‘Implications for Sri Lanka due to changes to EU’s Trading Agreements and its GSP Regime’ and ‘Harnessing Regional Trade Opportunities and Promoting Export-led Growth and Development as the Way Forward for Sri Lanka’.

“Participants have been invited from the public and private sector and total attendance is expected to exceed 100,” Bathiudeen added.

He will be delivering the opening speech during the inaugural session in the morning and will also deliver the closing remarks at the end of the symposium.