"EU postpones monitoring mission, asks to Myanmar to respond by September", 10 July 2020

Myanmar has until mid-September to update the European Commission on its progress in resolving the conflict in northern Rakhine and other rights abuses, a move essential for the Southeast Asian country to keep its trade preferences with the world's largest trading bloc.

Brussels has requested Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government to submit a written response on the extent to which it is working towards improving human and labour rights standards, according to EU Ambassador Kristian Schmidt.

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A monitoring mission scheduled to visit Myanmar this summer, to review the human rights situation and the government's willingness to change course, has been postponed owing to the COVlD-19 pandemic, the envoy added.

The European Commission is currently considering the option of triggering a six-month review process on whether to strip Myanmar of its "Everything But Arms" status following accusations against the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) by UN officials and NGOs of persecuting Muslims in northern Rakhine with "genocidal intent" in 2017. Myanmar has denied the accusations.

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In 2019, Myanmar's exports to the bloc - which textiles make up a key segment - amounted to €2.8 billion (US$3.2 billion). Trade sanctions from Brussles, if enacted, are expected to heavily hit the apparel sector and put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk.

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