After months of post-electoral tough remarks, travel ban, foreign asset freeze etc., the EU is readying its most serious blow at the Belarusian regime. The European Commission has confirmed it will recommend expelling Belarus from the EU’s low-tariff trade regime - the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

Eurobarometer reports:

Belarus neighbours Poland and Lithuania had initially objected to the expulsion, saying it represents the EU “making a political statement at the cost of our small traders” without hurting president Alexander Lukashenko, whose main income flows from energy and arms sales not covered by the GSP.

Some EU diplomats are also concerned the move will see Brussels criticised for double standards and political interference by Lukashenko’s state-dominated media machine. “Cuba and Uzbekistan have full GSP privileges despite equally worrying reports about respect for workers’ rights,” one diplomat stated.

But Poland and Lithuania will not seek to block member states’ September decision, with most EU countries and the EU’s foreign affairs envoy Javier Solana taking the line that Brussels would lose credibility on its commitment to GSP standards if it let Belarus off the hook.

Burma is the only other country ever to be kicked out from GSP, in 1997.