Article 19 outlines the circumstances where EBA preferences can be withdrawn

What is EBA?

The Everything But Arms scheme grants full duty free and quota free access to the EU Single Market for all products (except arms and armaments).

Conditions

A country is being granted EBA status if it is listed as a Least Developed Country (LDC) by the UN Committee for Development Policy.

Countries do not need to apply to benefit from EBA, they are added or removed to relevant list through a delegated regulation.

EBA preferences can be withdrawn in case of some exceptional circumstances, notably in case of serious and systematic violation of principles laid down in fundamental human rights and labour rights conventions (see article 19 of Regulation (978/2012).

Unlike under the Standard GSP, countries do not lose EBA status by entering into a Free Trade Agreement with the EU. A 'graduation mechanism' for products also does not apply.

Expiry

The EBA as established by the current Regulation (978/2012) has no expiry date.