Pakistan Minister to visit Eastern Europe for GSP+ status

22 Nov '13

2 min read

The Pakistan Minister of State for Commerce, Textile & Privatization, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, has embarked upon a visit to Eastern European countries to ensure a favorable majority in the European Union (EU) Parliament in anticipation of a plenary vote in mid-December 2013, for the grant of Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade preferences to the country in January 2014.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Textile Industry, the country has enhanced its efforts to gain the GSP+ status from EU, which would provide a boost to the country’s exports, including textiles, in addition to creating more jobs.

The visit to Eastern Europe is a result of the successful visits of the Minister in October 2013 to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Paris, Madrid, Rome and London, which resulted into a positive, pro-Pakistan vote from the International Trade Committee (INTA) of the EU Parliament.

Mr. Dastgir Khan said the Government has already achieved two milestones of successful votes in the EU Council and INTA in October and November, 2013, and by engaging countries across Europe, the Ministry hopes the country would achieve the formal grant of GSP+ in December, 2013.

However, as of now, the immediate objective is to ensure a smooth vote for grant of GSP+ status to Pakistan by plenary EU Parliament, and this visit would also include serious exploration of increasing mutual trade between Pakistan and Eastern European countries, especially in textiles sector, he added.

Achieving GSP+ status from EU is likely to add US$ 700 million to US$ 1 billion to Pakistan’s overall exports, and create around 1 million new jobs in the country which would boost the textiles sector and improve the national economy.

The Minister is scheduled to visit Romania, Czech Republic, and Poland, as the three Eastern European countries form a large block of votes in the EU Parliament.

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