Indian chamber asks EU to revoke trade SOPs to Pakistan

MUMBAI: An Indian trade and industry organization has urged the European Union to withdraw the special trade concessions given to Pakistan under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme, reports foreign media.

Sunil Prasad, Secretary-General, Europe India Chamber of Commerce, said there are serious concerns with respect to European Union’s continued GSP privilege to Pakistan, accusing Pakistan of promoting terrorism.

The situation is damaging EU-India relations at a time when the two have a new vision to strengthen future relationship, the chamber said in a letter addressed to Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Trade.

In the textile sector, in which Pakistan is the sole beneficiary of EU’s GSP, Islamabad has failed to enforce laws that would protect millions of garment workers in the country from serious labour rights abuses, the letter said quoting a Human Rights Watch report ‘No Room to Bargain’: Unfair and Abusive Labour Practices in Pakistan’ released last month.