The Everything but Arms (EBA) scheme is one of the preferential trade arrangements under the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). It grants full duty-free, quota-free access into the EU market for all products except arms and ammunition for countries classified by the United Nations as Least Developed Countries.

Cambodia has greatly benefited from the preferential trade scheme to develop its economy by boosting its exports. Textiles, footwear, bicycles, processed food, and vegetable products (rice) represented 95% of Cambodia’s overall exports to the EU in 2019. Out of the total exports, about 98% were eligible to EBA preferential duties.

On 12 February 2020, the European Commission announced its decision to withdraw part of the tariff preferences granted to Cambodia under the EBA scheme. Here can be found the EU statement behind this decision.

The withdrawal affects selected garment and footwear products, all travel goods and sugar, amounting to one fifth of Cambodia’s yearly exports to the EU. The withdrawal took effect on 12 August 2020.

Below are the HS Codes of the products for which tariff preferences have been temporarily withdrawn:

1212 93, 4201 00, 4202, 4203, 4205 00, 4206 00, 6103 41, 6103 43, 6103 49, 6105, 6107, 6109, 6115 10, 6115 21, 6115 22, 6115 29, 6115 95, 6115 96, 6115 99, 6203 41, 6203 43, 6203 49, 6205, 6207, 6211 32, 6211 33, 6211 39, 6211 42, 6211 43, 6211 49, 6212, 6403 19, 6403 20, 6403 40, 6403 51, 6403 59, 6403 91, 6403 99, 6405, 6406.