Govt. bans imports of goods made with forced labour

The government has banned the import of goods produced wholly or partly through forced labour, under new regulations issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

The regulations, which came into effect on July 10, prohibit the import of any goods that have been wholly or partially mined, manufactured or produced using forced labour.

They also require importers to furnish the Director General of Customs with documentation certifying that imported goods were not produced through forced labour.

The regulations provide that the Minister will periodically identify the goods or countries to which the prohibition applies, taking into account decisions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The move follows a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose additional import tariffs on goods from 60 countries, including Sri Lanka, over what Washington described as inadequate measures to prevent the import of products made with forced labour.

Under the proposal, Sri Lankan exports would be subject to an additional 12.5 per cent tariff. The United States said the measure was prompted by Sri Lanka's failure to prohibit the import of goods produced with forced labour or to effectively enforce such restrictions.

The new regulations are intended to address that concern by prohibiting the import of goods linked to forced labour.