LAHORE - The country has achieved a milestone leading towards the GSP Plus status for its textile and clothing industry in the EU, as the International Trade Committee of EU has approved the duty free status for Pakistan with a majority vote.
Industry experts and representatives of business community expressed the hope that the matter will be put forward to the EU Parliament on 10th December for granting duty free market access to Pakistani exports under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) Plus status with effect from January 1, 2014. “There are 90 per cent chances that Pakistan along with nine other under-developed countries will be granted this status,” a textile industry stakeholder told The Nation on condition of anonymity. He said that this approval is preliminary and Pakistan had got 17 votes out of 30 while 12 votes were cast against Pakistan in the International Trade Committee of the EU. So, we are not 100 percent sure to win the votes of whole EU parliament, he added. All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Punjab Chairman SM Tanvir observed that achieving this favourable support from the International Trade Committee of EU is a big achievement of the govt of Pakistan and has lauded the effective diplomatic initiatives of the govt. Chairman APTMA Punjab said it is a great opportunity for the textile industry of Pakistan to manufacture and produce exportable surplus to realize maximum benefits.
He has urged the govt to fulfill energy needs of the textile industry to ensure level playing field against competitors by operating without break to produce export surplus. APTMA has envisioned doubling textile exports from $13b to $26b in four years, which will create employment and increase production of the textile.
The LCCI also welcomed the EU Parliament’s International Trade Committee move to grant duty free market access to Pakistan that would help give considerable boost to exports and create new jobs. LCCI President Sohail Lashari said that approval of GSP Plus status by European Parliamentary Committee has proved all international conventions relating to human and labour rights, environment and good governance have been implemented by the Pakistan to the satisfaction of EU Parliament.
“The EU Parliament is considering the GSP Plus status for 10 developing countries in all and is granted to those countries that ratify and implement international conventions.”
He said that exporters from various industries in Pakistan were anxiously hoping for access to European markets, which promises huge potential for multiplying the country’s current exports.
He said that grant of European Union’s GSP+ to Pakistan will create a million jobs for Pakistani youth and boost exports by $500 million. He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been raising the issue for the last many years and today is an historic day for Pakistan’s business community.
This is a great opportunity that needs to be tapped up to its true potential, he added.
He expressed the optimism that the European Parliament in its meeting scheduled for December 10, 2013 would finally grant the status.
EU Parliament’s International Trade Committee had voted 17-12-1 in favour of Pakistan’s inclusion in GSP Plus countries.
Industry experts and representatives of business community expressed the hope that the matter will be put forward to the EU Parliament on 10th December for granting duty free market access to Pakistani exports under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) Plus status with effect from January 1, 2014. “There are 90 per cent chances that Pakistan along with nine other under-developed countries will be granted this status,” a textile industry stakeholder told The Nation on condition of anonymity. He said that this approval is preliminary and Pakistan had got 17 votes out of 30 while 12 votes were cast against Pakistan in the International Trade Committee of the EU. So, we are not 100 percent sure to win the votes of whole EU parliament, he added. All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Punjab Chairman SM Tanvir observed that achieving this favourable support from the International Trade Committee of EU is a big achievement of the govt of Pakistan and has lauded the effective diplomatic initiatives of the govt. Chairman APTMA Punjab said it is a great opportunity for the textile industry of Pakistan to manufacture and produce exportable surplus to realize maximum benefits.
He has urged the govt to fulfill energy needs of the textile industry to ensure level playing field against competitors by operating without break to produce export surplus. APTMA has envisioned doubling textile exports from $13b to $26b in four years, which will create employment and increase production of the textile.
The LCCI also welcomed the EU Parliament’s International Trade Committee move to grant duty free market access to Pakistan that would help give considerable boost to exports and create new jobs. LCCI President Sohail Lashari said that approval of GSP Plus status by European Parliamentary Committee has proved all international conventions relating to human and labour rights, environment and good governance have been implemented by the Pakistan to the satisfaction of EU Parliament.
“The EU Parliament is considering the GSP Plus status for 10 developing countries in all and is granted to those countries that ratify and implement international conventions.”
He said that exporters from various industries in Pakistan were anxiously hoping for access to European markets, which promises huge potential for multiplying the country’s current exports.
He said that grant of European Union’s GSP+ to Pakistan will create a million jobs for Pakistani youth and boost exports by $500 million. He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been raising the issue for the last many years and today is an historic day for Pakistan’s business community.
This is a great opportunity that needs to be tapped up to its true potential, he added.
He expressed the optimism that the European Parliament in its meeting scheduled for December 10, 2013 would finally grant the status.
EU Parliament’s International Trade Committee had voted 17-12-1 in favour of Pakistan’s inclusion in GSP Plus countries.
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