BIZnomics Note Pad 0 575

The process of Sri Lankan policy reforms of liberalisation since 1977 has been predominantly unilateral. These reforms were undertaken in a global context of multilateral trade and tariff reforms under the guidance of international organizations like GATT and WTO. In addition, Sri Lanka joined in the efforts of liberalisation at regional level, e.g. the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) under SAARC initiatives. Multilateral and even regional trade negotiations however, have proved very slow and cumbersome. Bilateral and preferential trade agreements have become attractive globally, as well as in Sri Lanka.

The first experience of post-independence Sri Lanka in bilateral trade agreements was the well-known Rubber-Rice Pact of 1951 between Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and the People’s Republic of China. It was a simple bilateral bartering agreement which provided a win-win solution to the two participating countries. The recent Sri Lankan interest in pursuing bilateral and preferential trade agreements can be traced to the 1990s. Three FTAs have been signed and implemented since then. The India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) was signed in 1998 and entered into force in March 2000. The Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSLFTA) came into force in June 2005. The Sri Lanka Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) was signed and made effective in 2018.

The ISFTA and PSLFTA are simple agreements covering the trade of goods between the respective partner countries. The SLSFTA in contrast, is a comprehensive agreement covering trade in goods, sanitary and phy-to-sanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade, customs procedures and trade facilitation, trade in services, telecommunications, E-commerce, government procurement, foreign investment, competition, intellectual property rights, transparency rules and matters of economic and technical cooperation. Sri Lanka may choose to negotiate its future FTAs in the same format as that of the SLSFTA. The new FTAs would then be comprehensive/deep agreements. Such ‘deep’ FTAs influence border-related policies as well as beyond-the-border policies. Liberalization through bilateral FTAs is being given priority with multiple objectives.

Several issues must be raised on this declared approach of expanding the policy scope of FTAs. A fundamental issue is that FTAs, particularly comprehensive FTAs, restrict the policy autonomy of the government to a significant extent. In today’s global institutional and organizational structure the policy autonomy of a small country is no doubt extremely limited. It may be for good reasons that the policy makers in Sri Lanka opt to get their policy autonomy further constrained by a series of FTAs. Here the opinion makers in the country seem to demand the following. The reasons for signing an FTA ought to be transparently shared with the public. Adequate research ought to be conducted to establish that any envisaged FTA would generate net positive benefits to Sri Lanka. Further the feasibility of the envisaged FTA should be carefully examined without rushing into signing. The planned FTAs are to be signed with countries with greater experience and equipped with better institutions. If adequate care is not taken, the signing of an FTA could produce extensive adverse effects on the country’s development efforts.

”From an overall point of view, Sri Lanka, as it stands today, is in an extremely weak competitive position in the global economic set up”

There are many needed domestic economic reforms. Some of these could lead to further liberalization. At the same time, there could also be critical intervention by the state in some fields. Before envisaging any more FTAs, priority must be accorded to domestic policy reforms based on a coherent national development framework and a widely-accepted national foreign trade policy.

There is another danger in the current declared policy of moving toward two more FTAs and a comprehensive agreement with India, in addition to the three FTAs currently in force. FTAs are not the best way to improve Sri Lanka’s competitiveness or productivity which is constrained by various structural and institutional factors. None of these factors can be resolved by entering into FTAs. In addition, operating a number of FTAs with different countries, involving multiple Rules of Origin, can make the foreign trade system extremely complicated, distorted and cumbersome.

Sri Lanka does not yet have a firmly established institutionalised procedure within which international trade agreements, particularly those so-called comprehensive agreements, can be negotiated and implemented. Strong legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks are needed if the national interest is to be safeguarded in the process of negotiation and implementation of bilateral preferential FTAs. Entered into without due care, bilateral trade agreements could turn out to be, in the long run, contractual traps with obligations, without worthwhile advantages to gain.

BY: ECONSULT

Sri Lanka with its unique blend of diverse culture, bio diversity and friendly people enters the global map as The Best Travel destination and retains its proud identity despite recent setback following 4/21 destruction of life and property. The Lonely Planet – the best-selling magazine featured Sri Lanka in 2019 – 10 years after a sustained upbeat in tourism nearly three decades after ending conflict in 2009.

The country that was torn by war has entertained 2.4 million tourists by the end of 2018 benefiting nearly 300,000 direct and indirect employment and livelihoods,. A large number of them being small and medium entrepreneurs engaged in supply chain activities, investments in the development of leisure facilities, transport and logistics, urban and rural property development. This sector also accounted for USD 4.2 billion in foreign exchange earnings marginally lower than the country’s single largest industrial export income of USD 5.3 billion from textile and garment exports. In 2009, this now buoyant industry accounted for a mere USD 349 million.

The Lonely Planet ranked Sri Lanka as a top country to visit in 2019, stating “Already notable to intrepid travellers for its mix of religions and cultures, its timeless temples, its rich and accessible wildlife, its growing surf scene and its people who defy all odds by their welcome and friendliness after decades of civil conflict, this is a country revived.” The Lonely Planet recognises new highways and railroads help connecting critical areas of the country. It has also recognized that Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is developing properties around the island with more international hospitality brands.

Tourist interest in beaches are expanding to places like Tangalle, and going beyond popular places like Unawatuna and Weligama. Another attraction highlighted in the best-selling Lonely Planet Magazine is the train between Nanuoya and Ella passing through the hill country area beautified with the lavishness of tea plantation and natural environment. The ancient ruins of Anuradhapura with a wider attraction to the sacred Ruwanweliseya Stupa built in 140BC during which time Buddhism had flourished to its peak. The country’s history is enriched with leaders so devoted to empowering the island by Buddhist philosophy and culture with massive stupas and temples.

Economically the culture was supported by agriculture with amazing engineering talents to create its agricultural infrastructure with tanks and canals. The Sacred Temple of the Tooth is the holy place protecting the Tooth Relic of Load Buddha which is another attraction for visiting tourists. Both Anuradhapura and Kandy are two of the most holy places visited by many Sri Lankans as well. Showcasing the cultural extravaganzas every August the Trustees of Tooth of the Temple of the Tooth hold the Kandy Essla Perahera. Peradeniya Botanical Garden – the largest and oldest botanical garden in the country introduces the glamour to make Kandy which has been around for several 100 years as a tourist city.

The Eastern Tourism corridor spanning from Yala to Kuchchaveli through Pasikuda and Arugam bay is well known for the best waves in Sri Lanka. Surfing enthusiasts enjoy this area from April to October.

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