The EU Parliament has passed a resolution urging Cambodia to end its crackdown on civil society, release political prisoners, and halt harassment of activists.
Passed by 492 EU lawmakers on Thursday, the resolution will review Cambodia’s duty-free access under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, which offers least developed countries tariff-free trade with the EU, and calls for targeted sanctions.
The EU partially revoked Cambodia’s EBA benefits in 2020 over human rights abuses, affecting key exports like garments and footwear.
The resolution, part of a wider review of human rights across Asia, highlighted the crackdown on labor rights group CENTRAL, the jailing of political and environmental activists, and the detention of journalist Mech Dara, who has since been released.
Similarly, the United States – Cambodia’s largest export market before the EU – drafted a bill in 2023 aimed at challenging the Cambodian government over its human rights record and democratic backsliding, proposing sanctions on complicit officials.
Pen Bona, the spokesperson for the Cambodian government, declined to comment on the EU resolution but asked CamboJA News to “help portray Cambodia in a positive light.”
The ruling Cambodian People’s Party, which has held power for over 45 years, denied claims of political repression and shrinking civic space in the EU resolution. Spokesperson Sok Eysan emphasized Cambodia’s sovereignty, stating that as an independent state, the country has the right to adhere to its constitution.
“It is their [the EU Parliament’s] business. They can think what they want. But here [in Cambodia] we adhere to strengthening our democracy and rule of law,” said Eysan.
Despite the assertions, Cambodia placed second to the bottom in an index of 142 countries ranked according to rule of law, a ranking officials’ dismissed.
Eysan also claimed that there are no political prisoners in Cambodia and that the country is home to over 40 political parties.
“There are only politicians who have broken laws, especially activists who have acted to serve ill-intentioned ‘rebel groups’ and extremist leaders abroad,” he said.
Cambodian courts jailed at least 24 activists, opposition leaders, and union members in the first half of 2024, according to local human rights group Licaho, a crackdown that has been criticized by international groups for judicial overreach targeting opponents of the ruling party.
In recent years, Cambodia’s two main opposition parties have either been dissolved by the Supreme Court or barred from participating in elections.
Ny Sokha, the president of local human rights group Adhoc, welcomed the EU Parliament’s calls for Cambodia to address its human rights abuses and open civic spaces. However, he criticized the government’s response, claiming it has fueled punitive economic measures that limit access to lucrative markets like the EU, financially harming vulnerable communities.
“We are concerned that Cambodia has not yet reached a higher economic level. If EBA sanctions continue and tariff preferences are removed, it will be difficult for Cambodia. This could severely impact the livelihoods of garment workers and result in job losses,” Sokha said, adding that the 2020 reduction in EBA benefits led to factory closures and worker migrations.
He also mentioned that new sanctions targeting those responsible for political repression and human rights violations – especially politically connected figures – could tarnish Cambodia’s international reputation, drive away foreign investors, and harm the economy.
The EU delegation to Cambodia and the EU Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights did not immediately respond to questions regarding Cambodia’s EBA tariff preferences, the timeline for assessing changes, or how the EU plans to balance punitive trade measures with support for vulnerable communities.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training urged the EU to carefully consider any potential rollbacks in the EBA scheme, stressing the importance of such decisions for both the EU and its relationship with Cambodia.
“Cambodia is ready in case the EU pulls this preferential tariff system, as it expects the system to end in the future. With Cambodia’s growing economy, it will no longer need these preferences,” the spokesperson asserted.
Leaders of local worker unions, including the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions and the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union, voiced concerns over deteriorating worker rights and job prospects as further cuts to EBA benefits loom.
“I think if we don’t heed the EU’s recommendations on labor laws and human rights, it will harm Cambodians, causing them to lose benefits, jobs, and possibly lead to factory closures,” said Yang Sophorn, president of the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions.
“We are workers, we work every day just to survive. The state should help workers who live at its mercy. If we lose the EBA, we may lose our jobs, which will affect our family’s livelihood,” said Mao Sreymom, a factory worker in Kandal province.
The Cambodian Human Rights Committee, a government body established to monitor human rights within the country, called the resolution “prejudiced” and “not based on any facts”.
