Pakistan Proposes To Export Footwear To EU For Exemption From Tariff Treatment

　　 Pakistan The authorities have applied for export to the EU Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP+). Footwear enterprises The EU is exempt from tariff treatment. The new GSP+ will come into effect from January 1, 2014. During the ten years, the developing countries that are fully up to the required standard will enjoy the reduction of tariff or zero tariff.

However, the number of EU eligible countries should be less than 2% of the total GSP imports of the EU, and the country should not be included in the list of countries with medium or higher income announced by the world bank. In addition, the country must prove that it has followed 27 international conventions relating to human rights, labour rights, environment, tobacco control and good governance. According to the news of the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan, the government has ratified all the aforesaid conventions, but only needs to face the problems of implementation.

According to the European Union ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, the relevant period of the application will take 8 to 10 months, and the case will first be sent to the European Commission (EC), which is subject to the approval of the European Parliament. At present, there are 75 items of goods (mostly textiles, clothing and shoes) enjoyed by the state of Palestine, which enjoy a tariff preference of EU Autonomous Trade Preferential Arrangement (EU), which is valid until December 31st of this year.

Pakistan footwear Gohar Ejaz, former director of the Textile Manufacturers Association (APTMA), claims that the export of textiles and garments will be doubled to $22 billion in three years from the current US $12 billion 400 million, if the country is allowed to apply for EU GSP+. Pakistan is the fifth largest supplier of textile and garment products to the EU, with an annual trade volume of more than 8 billion euros. The export growth rate of textiles and garments reaches 8.4% in the first seven months of the 2013 fiscal year (2012/7-2013/6).