A delegation from the European Union’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) is scheduled to visit Bangladesh in November to monitor local exporters’ compliance with EU regulations, sources said.

The team is expected to inspect factories in major export-oriented sectors such as textiles, footwear, and agriculture.

The visit is part of ongoing efforts to ensure that Bangladeshi exporters continue to meet the requirements of the EU’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) scheme, including the Registered Exporter (REX) system and proper declaration of Statements of Origin (SoO).

Under the REX system, exporters self-certify the origin of their goods. To be entitled to issue SoO, they must be registered with the national competent authority, which in Bangladesh is the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

EPB Director Abu Mukhles Alamgir Hossain said the EU delegation intends to review the implementation of the REX system, compliance with GSP rules of origin, declaration of statements of origin, and local value addition.

The exact dates of the visit in November are yet to be finalised, he said.

Since the introduction of the system in 2019, around 4,300 Bangladeshi exporters have registered with the EPB.

The REX system, first notified to Bangladesh by the EU in 2017, allows exporters to issue self-declarations for duty-free eligibility, ensuring transparency and accountability in the export process.

EPB on September 14 sent a letter to relevant trade bodies—including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA), Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association Bangladesh, Bangladesh Agro Processors Association, Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association, and Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters’ Association—requesting them to submit Statements of Origin (SoO) regularly to the EPB’s export tracker and to strengthen monitoring of their respective member factories.

Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free access to the EU under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, with over 60 per cent of its exports going to the region.

The country earned US$48.28 billion from exports in the 2024–25 fiscal year, according to official data.

The upcoming EU visit is expected to reinforce compliance standards, support continued GSP benefits, and ensure that Bangladesh’s export sectors remain competitive in the European market.