FAISALABAD City News
June 21, 2012
GSP plus status to boost textile exports: PTEA
From Our Correspondent
FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Textile Exporters Association has lauded the European Union for granting Pakistan the status of generalised system of preferences (GSP plus), terming it progressive and realistic for textile exports.
Talking to newsmen, PTEA chairman Rana Arif Tauseef said that the country had been trying its best for the last several years to attain GSP plus status to enhance its exports. “The GSP plus status is a good sign for the ailing value-added textile industry, especially home textile exports, which are badly suffering due to various factors,” he added. The PTEA chairman said that the European Parliament decision would help Pakistan build its capacity to become more effective and competitive in the international economic relations.
“This will create more opportunities in the domestic industry, resulting not only in competitiveness, jobs growth, exchange of technological know-how, and development of skills but also lead to the empowerment of people to meet future challenges,” he hoped. He was of the view that the decision would make the country eligible for GSP plus on fulfilling the other criteria such as the commitment to effectively implement 27 international conventions relating to good governance, human rights and sustainable development.
He urged the government to complete its work for getting the GSP plus status. “In case Pakistan is able to meet all the criteria for GSP plus, its exports to the EU under the concessionary tariff lines will receive duty-free treatment from 2014 onwards,” he maintained.
Rana Arif Tauseef said that textile industry had potential to achieve export targets after getting duty-free access to European markets. He added that much would depend on the availability of a regular supply of gas and electricity to run the manufacturing units. “Pakistan is unlikely to fully utilise the European Union preferential trade deal due to severe energy crisis in the country. Pakistan’s textile exporters will not be able to benefit from the concessions unless the government takes serious measures to resolve energy shortage that holds back the textile industry,” he said. The PTEA chairman pointed out that the EU was Pakistan’s traditional market and GSP plus concessions would help boost Pakistani exports and increase trade volume with the EU.
From Our Correspondent
FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Textile Exporters Association has lauded the European Union for granting Pakistan the status of generalised system of preferences (GSP plus), terming it progressive and realistic for textile exports.
Talking to newsmen, PTEA chairman Rana Arif Tauseef said that the country had been trying its best for the last several years to attain GSP plus status to enhance its exports. “The GSP plus status is a good sign for the ailing value-added textile industry, especially home textile exports, which are badly suffering due to various factors,” he added. The PTEA chairman said that the European Parliament decision would help Pakistan build its capacity to become more effective and competitive in the international economic relations.
“This will create more opportunities in the domestic industry, resulting not only in competitiveness, jobs growth, exchange of technological know-how, and development of skills but also lead to the empowerment of people to meet future challenges,” he hoped. He was of the view that the decision would make the country eligible for GSP plus on fulfilling the other criteria such as the commitment to effectively implement 27 international conventions relating to good governance, human rights and sustainable development.
He urged the government to complete its work for getting the GSP plus status. “In case Pakistan is able to meet all the criteria for GSP plus, its exports to the EU under the concessionary tariff lines will receive duty-free treatment from 2014 onwards,” he maintained.
Rana Arif Tauseef said that textile industry had potential to achieve export targets after getting duty-free access to European markets. He added that much would depend on the availability of a regular supply of gas and electricity to run the manufacturing units. “Pakistan is unlikely to fully utilise the European Union preferential trade deal due to severe energy crisis in the country. Pakistan’s textile exporters will not be able to benefit from the concessions unless the government takes serious measures to resolve energy shortage that holds back the textile industry,” he said. The PTEA chairman pointed out that the EU was Pakistan’s traditional market and GSP plus concessions would help boost Pakistani exports and increase trade volume with the EU.
