Sri Lanka has moved to prohibit the import of goods produced using forced labour, in an order issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
With effect from July 10, the import of any goods that have been wholly or partly mined, manufactured or produced using forced labour is banned. The order states that the Minister will periodically identify the specific goods or countries to which the regulations apply, taking into account decisions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Importers will also be required to submit documents to the Director General of Customs confirming that their imported goods were not produced or manufactured using forced labour.
The measure follows a recent proposal by US President Donald Trump to impose additional import tariffs on goods from 60 countries, including Sri Lanka, citing insufficient action to prevent the import of products made with forced labour. Under that proposal, Sri Lanka would face an additional 12.5% import tariff on its exports to the United States — a significant threat given the size of the American market for Sri Lankan apparel.
The new import ban is the latest in a series of steps Colombo has taken to shield its exporters from the levy. In June, the government said it would introduce new customs and labour rules to avoid the 12.5% tariff, a response to Washington’s forced-labour tariff decision that has loomed over trade ties for weeks.
