"Strip Myanmar of EBA entitlements, CCC says", 27 September 2021

Workers’ rights organisation the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has called for Myanmar to be stripped of the preferential trading terms offered under the Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement...

In February, the military took control of the country and has since killed an estimated 1,100 people while detaining a further 6,600. It’s led fashion firms to halt orders  with suppliers from the nation, which it’s feared could cost the jobs of more than 200,000 garment workers.

With the EU said to purchase more than half of Myanmar’s total apparel exports, the CCC has urged authorities to strip the country of its EBA trade benefits amidst the ongoing military coup...

Given the state of hostility Myanmar has remained in since the start of the year, the CCC has issued a call for the EU, the United Kingdom and international communities to withdraw preferential trading tariffs whilst supporting the people of Myanmar through targeted sanctions and diplomatic means.

They also stress that authorities must continue to pursue “all avenues for remedy of human rights violations”, including pressuring the military to release political prisoners.

The organisation has also detailed actions for brands, including that they “prioritise workers’ rights and take concrete steps to protect them”...