The Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP) was initiated by the UNCTAD to develop trading opportunities among the developing countries. Through the framework of the GSTP, its Participants aim to promote economic growth and development by capitalizing on South-South trade.

The origin of the GSTP can be traced back to the ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 in Mexico City in 1976 where the GSTP first found its political expression. The idea was subsequently developed at ministerial meetings of the Group of 77 in Arusha (1979) and in Caracas (1981). In 1982, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 in New York defined the basic components of the Agreement and established a framework for negotiations. The Group of 77 began preparatory work in Geneva in 1984 with Ministerial impetus provided in 1985 through the New Delhi ministerial meeting. The Ministerial meeting in Brasilia in 1986 established the GSTP as a provisional legal framework and launched the first round of negotiations on preferential trade concessions. In 1988, in Belgrade, participants completed the negotiations on the text of the Agreement, as well as the first round of tariff reduction negotiations.

GSTP - at a glance

*The 42 GSTP members are; Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe, and Mercosur (South American trade bloc incl. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).

 Rules of Origin Criteria (RoO) under GSTP applicable to Sri Lanka – at a glance

Statistical Analysis

Sri Lanka’s country wise exports under GSTP