As part of a “Trade for Development” campaign, the British High Commission in Colombo announced that Sri Lankan clothing will be eligible for duty-free entry into the United Kingdom under regulations.
The liberalised rule of origin, which permits the use of more inputs from Asian and African nations, allows Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and the Philippines to export more items to the UK while also giving British consumers and businesses access to higher-quality, more affordable goods.
With effect from early 2026, the most recent scheme has loosened the rules of origin for apparel.
According to the statement, the liberalisation of the rules of origin for the apparel industry in particular will be the biggest improvement for Sri Lanka.
Manufacturers from countries like Sri Lanka will be able to benefit from 0% tariffs on clothing thanks to the amendments, which will guarantee that DCTS countries can now get their materials from a wider range of countries.
Following Brexit, the GSP+ was replaced by the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which includes this step.
“We strongly encourage more exporters to investigate how they can benefit from the DCTS’s preferences, given the Sri Lankan government’s goal of increasing exports and the simplification of rules of origin for other sectors as well,” said the statement.
“JAAF has worked very closely with the UK Government to work on solutions to improve utilisation of the Scheme,” stated Yohan Lawrence, Secretary General of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).
