Govt plans to relax import ban on nearly 400 items

June 2, 2023 at 10:32 AM

The government expects to further relax the import restrictions on several goods from next week. 

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated that the import restrictions on 300 to 400 items will be relaxed from next week.

The government imposed a ban on several items as a part of its prolonged stringent import restrictions from March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ban on imports continued due to the economic crisis until as recently as November last year after which the government took measures to relax import restrictions on several goods in batches. 

It was also reported that Sri Lanka has expressed its intention to present a plan by June to lift the import restrictions currently imposed in the country.

The government has promised the European Union (EU) that it will gradually relax the restrictions, taking into account the current economic conditions. (NewsWire)