The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) has urged the European Union (EU) not to suspend trade preferences for Cambodia as these sanctions may have adverse impacts on the lives of workers and their families. The decision was made after EU notified Cambodia earlier this month that it had initiated the process for temporary withdrawal of its preferential trade treatment under the Everything but Arm (EBA) scheme for Cambodia, citing concerns over human rights and labor rights.

Around 1,000 garment and footwear factories in the kingdom directly employ about 700,000 workers with more than 85 percent being female coming from the rural provinces. It is estimated that another 2 million out of the country's total population economically depend on the sector. Every month, more than 150 million U.S. dollars is paid out as salary to these workers.

EU is an important trading partner for Cambodia, especially for the apparel and footwear sector; more than 46 percent of Cambodia's total exports of apparel and footwear is to the EU.