EUDR in 2025: Is Sri Lanka Ready for the EU’s New Deforestation Rules?

Sri Lanka faces a critical test with the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) taking effect in December 2025. With rubber exports to the EU valued at over USD 330 million annually, compliance is vital. While large plantations may adapt easily, smallholder farmers who manage over two-thirds of rubber cultivation face digital and documentation challenges. Without targeted support, Sri Lanka risks losing market access, jobs, and GDP. This blog explores readiness, risks, and policy priorities for EUDR compliance.

Making Public Policy Work for Women: Lessons from Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 Response

  One night during the pandemic, Nishanthi, a garment factory worker living in a boarding house in Katunayake, was suddenly told by military officers to pack her belongings and leave with the other women. There were 54 of them in …

Sri Lanka’s Struggle with Single-Use Plastics: Why Bans Alone Fall Short

  By Sulochana Silva and Nishamini Ihalagedara   The escalating crisis of plastic pollution poses a significant threat to both the health of the planet and human well-being. Among the plastic pollutants, Single-use plastics (SUPs)  have become a major driver …

Going Beyond the US Reciprocal Tariffs: Sri Lanka’s Exposure to the Tariffs and Exemptions

The United States’ (US) proclamation of “reciprocal tariffs” dealt a blow to the global trade system based on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) principles. With the individualised tariff rates, the US has discarded non-discrimination in the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) tariff structure. The “reciprocal tariff” rate does not show any reciprocity but rather a calculation hypothesised to drive a bilateral trade deficit to zero.

Although the “reciprocal tariff” grabbed attention, US trade policy under the second Trump administration is more complex.   Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962 is being used to target key sectors like steel, aluminium, and auto parts. In addition, investigations are ongoing to determine tariffs for copper, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, and lumber.

Tariff Wars: How Will the US Reciprocal Tariff Impact Sri Lanka?

The proposed additional tariffs on the US imports from Canada, China, and Mexico went into effect early Tuesday morning (March 4), paving the way for a trade war between the US and major trade partners. In addition, the Presidential Memorandum on Reciprocal Trade and Tariff of the United States (US) has called for studies on the “unfair trade practices” of US trade partners to determine reciprocal tariff rates as a counter measure. This means that, if the EU has a 10% automobile tariff, the US reciprocal tariff would also be 10%, matching its trade partner’s tariff.