SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Cambodia has ratified all international conventions listed in the current GSP Regulation on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance. Nevertheless, in 2017 the EU started the "enhanced engagement" with Cambodia due to concerns with the country's overall adherence to human and labour rights and shortcomings in the respect of the related convention’s core principles.

Due to lacking progress in the focus areas of the enhanced engagement, the EU launched a temporary withdrawal procedure in February 2019, which led to the temporary withdrawal of preferences for a number of products originating from Cambodia on 12 August 2020. The partial temporary withdrawal of preferences was taken on the basis of concerns about restrictions of the right to political participation, of the right to freedom of expression, and of the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.

The socioeconomic impact of the withdrawal, including the impact on workers, was taken into account when selecting the products and deciding the scope of the withdrawal. Cambodia continues to benefit from the preferences for those tariff lines not covered by withdrawal. This targeted approach is complementing the continuous EU efforts towards poverty reduction in the country.

The enhanced engagement and political dialogue has continued after the withdrawal. Over the period 2023 to 2025, key exchanges took place at the 12th EU–Cambodia Joint Committee in Brussels on 25 April 2024 and related sub-group meetings. Political contacts intensified, with several high-level meetings with Prime Minister Hun Manet. Further exchanges took place at the 13th EU–Cambodia Joint Committee in Phnom Penh and related sub-group meetings in March 2026.

Over the period 2023 to 2025, the following positive developments were noted:

• Human rights: Cambodia maintained formal adherence to the core UN human rights treaties and introduced plans and policy frameworks in relation to social protection, violence against women, alternative care for children and anti-torture mechanisms. Initiatives such as the Decent Work Country Program (DWCP) 2024-2028 and the National Strategy for the Development of the Informal Economy 2023-2028 represent tangible progress in economic and social rights, especially for guaranteeing the right to work to vulnerable sectors of the informal economy.
• Labour rights: Positive policy and training initiatives were undertaken in cooperation with ILO and National Social Security Fund now benefits 2.5 million workers, including informal and self-employed, with coverage for injury, health and pensions.

Remaining issues and priorities for future engagement are:

• Human rights: No improvement has been registered in relation to political freedoms, and the democratic space is closing even more. Judicial harassment of opposition figures continues, a bill to create a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) has been pending approval since 2023, the 1996 Nationality Law, amended in 2025, introduces the possibility of revoking citizenship from any national, including women and minors and very high levels of violence against women continue.
• Labour rights: Implementation measures continue to be slow and weak. Serious concerns remain regarding forced labour; child labour, including in its worst forms, such as sexual exploitation; freedom of association and collective bargaining; impunity regarding attacks against trade unionists and disparities in opportunities for indigenous women and women from ethnic minorities to access work and justice.

The EU’s priorities remained shaped by international monitoring bodies: reopening civic and political space; ending the criminalisation of opposition figures, activists, trade unionists and independent media; reforming restrictive laws; strengthening judicial independence and accountability for arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment; addressing anti-union discrimination and misuse of criminal law in labour disputes; protecting indigenous peoples’ land rights and ensuring free, prior and informed consent; adopting a comprehensive anti-discrimination framework; reforming domestic violence legislation and improving protection of women and human rights defenders; criminalising torture in line with convention; and adopting a compliant Child Protection Law.

For more information about Cambodia's compliance with the GSP conventions, see the convention compliance database. Also see the factsheet on Cambodia.

Core international conventions on human rights and labour standards

Ratified

• Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969)
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976)
• International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (1976)
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1981)
• Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987)
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990)
• Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour, No 29 (1930)
• Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, No 87 (1948)
• Convention concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively, No 98 (1949)
• Convention concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, No 100 (1951)
• Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, No 105 (1957)
• Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, No 111 (1958)
• Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, No 138 (1973)
• Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, No 182 (1999)

Additional Conventions

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973)
• Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987)
• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (1989)
• Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)
• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1998)
• United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961)
• United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971)
• United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988)
• United Nations Convention against Corruption (2004)

Access all info about EU-Cambodia relations on the International Partnerships website.