Executive Arm: Cambodia and Rights

executive arm: The European Commission, which manages trade issues as the bloc's executive arm, said there was evidence of serious and systematic violations of core human rights and labor rights in Cambodia, in particular of the rights to political participation as well as of the freedoms of assembly, expression and association, according to The Japan Times. Monday's announcement begins a six-month period of intensive monitoring and after 12 months the commission will decide whether to suspend Cambodia's EBA deal, which gives duty-free and tariff-free access to the EU market for all products except weapons and ammunition. Brussels has repeatedly warned Cambodia it risks losing the highly preferential tariff arrangement it enjoys, known as everything but arms EBA a move that would cripple the country's billion-dollar garment industry, its largest formal employer. ; Cambodia's elections in July, which returned veteran strongman Hun Sen to power, were widely criticized internationally as undemocratic and prompted EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to announce the start of punitive measures. It should be clear that today's move is neither a final decision nor the end of the process. When we say that the EU's trade policy is based on values, these are not just empty words. But the clock is now officially ticking and we need to see real action soon, Malmstrom said in a statement. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.