LAHORE - Director General Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Lahore has said that TDAP would be utilizing all available resources to create awareness among the exporters to enable them to utilize benefits from the GSP plus status with a view to enhance their contribution for accelerating the export potential of the country.
While addressing the participants of the seminar on GSP Plus held here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said that Pakistan’s inclusion in the list of beneficiary countries of the EU GSP Plus Scheme promises immense economic benefits, it is incumbent on all the stakeholders, public and private sectors alike to play their part in ensuring that we continue to benefit from such an opportunity.
Highlighting the importance of GSP Plus, LCCI president Sohail Lashari said that GSP Plus status has simultaneously brought opportunities and challenges to Pakistan because the country has a limited list of industries to leverage a position in the international market for diverse market share and now is the time to take practical steps to grab this opportunity.
Head of WTO Cell of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Mujeeb Ahmad Khan gave details about the important timelines attached to GSP plus status.
He said that the status is for ten years period but European Commission would present report to EU Parliament and EU Council on the implementation of 27 conventions every two year. He said that both the government and the private sector would have to work to avail this opportunity. He further said that the status would provide Pakistan duty free or preferential duty rate access on 3,500 products to EU markets. The status will enable Pakistan to export products worth over $1 billion to international markets.