Governor Punjab to leave for Europe today

LAHORE: Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar will embark on a key tour to Europe aimed at discussing extension in the Generalised System of Preferences plus (GSP-Plus) status for the country and Kashmir issue on Friday, ARY News reported.

The governor would leave for an all-important visit of Europe on Friday night. He will be meeting with the European Union (EU) authorities for extension in the GSP-Plus status of the country for the next three years.

On 21 February 2018, the European Union (EU) has extended Pakistan’s Generalised System of Preferences plus (GSP-Plus) status after the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade expressed satisfaction on the progress achieved by the country in enacting new laws for implementation of 27 core conventions of GSP plus, especially the National Action Plan for Human Rights.

Read More: EU extends Pakistan’s GSP-Plus status

Pakistan is one of the 10 beneficiaries of EU’s GSP+ Scheme. As a result of duty free access available to Pakistan in 28 member states Pakistan’s exports to the EU have increased from 4.54 billion Euros in 2013 to 6.29 billion Euros in 2016 which implies an increase of 38%.

This duty free access has been crucial for Pakistani products to maintain their competitiveness in the EU market vis-à-vis similar products originating from India, Turkey, Vietnam and China. Naghmana Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the EU and Omar Hameed, Economic Minister of Pakistan to the EU also accompanied Secretary Commerce in the meeting of INTA committee.

The governor Punjab would meet the representative members of the European Union and the European Commission, where he would also raise the issue of Indian atrocities in the occupied Kashmir.