Page 8 - February-March-2018

08 09
Pakistan wins EU Praise for

meeting GSP Plus criteria News

A meeting of International Trade Committee (INTA) encouraging countries to undertake necessary
was held in Brussels at the European Parliament to steps for promoting principles of good governance
discuss the 2nd Biennial Assessment Report of and sustainable development. European
GSP+. The Parliament expressed satisfaction on Commission and the European External Action
the progress achieved by Pakistan in enacting new Service had prepared a Joint Staff Document
laws and developing new institutions for evaluating steps taken by the beneficiary countries
implementation of 27 core conventions of GSP+ to comply with UN Conventions pertaining to
specially the National Action Plan for Human Rights. human rights, labour rights, narcotics control and
The parliament hoped that Pakistan would continue corruption. The section pertaining to Pakistan
to engage with the EU and ensure to bridge appreciated legislative and institutional measures
implementation gaps during the next two years of undertaken to improve the Human rights regime in
reporting on GSP+. The Committee on International Pakistan. It specifically appreciated establishment
Trade also agreed to deliberate upon possibility of of National Human Rights Commission and National
up-scaling relationship with Pakistan from a Action Plan for Human Rights among other measures.
beneficiary of GSP+ Scheme to an FTA partner in
future. The process of monitoring of compliance of During the session it was announced that GSP+
GSP+ for next biennial assessment report for monitoring missions shall undertake visits to
2018-2019 would start in March 2018 by the Pakistan, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan and Bolivia in
European Commission. second half of 2018 to interact with stakeholders
engaged in implementation of mandatory
Mohammad Younus Dagha, Secretary Commerce conventions for GSP+. Pakistan is one of the 10
had travelled to Brussels to follow developments beneficiaries of EU’s GSP+ Scheme. As a result of
with regard to on-going deliberations by the EU duty free access available to Pakistan in 28 member
Parliament and to undertake necessary states Pakistan’s exports to the EU have increased
engagements with policy makers in European from 4.54 billion Euros in 2013 to 6.29 billion Euros
Parliament, European External Action Service and in 2016 which implies an increase of 38%. This
European Commission. He attended the meeting of duty-free access has been crucial for Pakistani
EU’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) and products to maintain their competitiveness in the
will also make a presentation to the European EU market vis-à-vis similar products originating
Council on Pakistan’s case for retaining GSP+. from India, Turkey, Vietnam and China. Ms.
Naghmana Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the
During the discussions that took place in the EU and Mr. Omar Hameed, Economic Minister of
meeting of INTA, the Committee noted the positive Pakistan to the EU also accompanied Mr.
economic impact of the GSP+ scheme on the Mohammad Younus Dagha, Secretary Commerce
beneficiary countries and it has been useful in in the meeting of INTA committee.

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