A joint staff working document published by the EU Council on 16 July 2026 assesses Bolivia's compliance under the EU's Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance (GSP+) for the period 2023-2025, concluding that while the country remains committed to the 27 required international conventions, significant implementation gaps persist. The assessment accompanies the Commission's joint report to the European Parliament and the Council on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) covering the same period.
Bolivia has benefited from GSP+ preferences since 2014. In 2024, GSP+ eligible imports from Bolivia totalled EUR 53.8 million, with a utilisation rate of 91.6%, yielding an estimated EUR 766,000 in tariff exemptions. The document notes positive legislative steps, including new laws criminalising child grooming and prohibiting child marriage, a reparation law for human rights violations, and a 2025 climate action plan with sectoral targets.
However, the assessment identifies major concerns across several areas. Prison overcrowding remains acute, with 58% of inmates in pre-trial detention. Violence against women is widespread: 74.7% of Bolivian women report having experienced physical or sexual violence, and 84 femicides were recorded in 2024. The document also highlights insufficient protection of human rights defenders and deficient mechanisms for consulting indigenous communities on projects affecting their lands.
On labour rights, child labour has decreased but remains high, with 21.5% of children aged 12-14 working in 2023. Bolivian laws are not fully aligned with ILO Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining. Coca cultivation increased by 10% to 34,000 hectares in 2024, according to UNODC data, raising concerns about diversion to illicit markets.
The document sets out key priorities for Bolivia to maintain GSP+ eligibility: judicial reform, reducing violence against women, eliminating child and forced labour, preventing coca diversion, and enforcing anti-corruption legislation. These priorities gain added urgency as the EU revises its GSP rules, with new requirements expected to take effect from 2027.
Bolivian exporters benefit from continued tariff preferences, but face potential loss of access if compliance gaps are not addressed. EU importers of Bolivian goods (notably textiles, nuts, and quinoa) gain from lower costs. Human rights and labour groups will scrutinise progress on the identified priorities. The Bolivian government must balance development needs with the cost of implementing judicial, gender, and labour reforms.
The European Commission will monitor Bolivia's progress through regular dialogue and reporting. The European Parliament may hold debates or hearings on GSP+ compliance. The Council will decide on any changes to Bolivia's preferential status under the revised GSP regulation after 2027.