The government has imposed a complete ban on the import of goods that are mined, manufactured or processed using forced labour.
The decision was announced through a special gazette notification signed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake last Friday.
Under the new regulations, importers will be required to obtain certification from the Director General of Customs confirming that the goods they intend to import have not been produced, either wholly or partially, through forced labour.
According to the government, the move follows concerns raised by the United States, which recently imposed a 12.5 percent import tariff on Sri Lankan goods.
Sri Lanka was among 60 countries identified by the United States for failing to prohibit the import of products manufactured using forced labour.
A report published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on June 2 stated that Sri Lanka’s failure to introduce and effectively enforce such restrictions constituted an unreasonable trade practice that could negatively affect American commerce.
The report placed particular emphasis on cotton and cotton-blend textiles and apparel, referring to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits the import of goods produced wholly or partly by North Korean workers or in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The USTR report also included case studies involving China-linked intermediate manufacturers operating in ten economies, including Sri Lanka, as part of its assessment.
