The German Ambassador, Dr Gunter Mulack, has said that the German government, together with United Kingdom (UK), is striving to get resolved the issue of anti-dumping duty on bed linen to make the exports of Pakistani textiles to European Union a bit easier.
He said this in a meeting with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Wednesday. LCCI President Shafqat Ali and a former president Misbahur Rehman also spoke on the occasion and gave an overview about the present economic scenario in Pakistan.
The German Ambassador was there with a 30-member delegation of German businessmen who intend to make investment in Pakistan. Dr Gunter Mulack said that a big German Group was going to finalise investment deal next month, and it would be starting business in Karachi.
'It is a very good sign that German businessmen have started showing interest in doing business in Pakistan. We want to further improve our relations with Pakistan and this is a good chance to move in the desired direction," he added. He said that the German businessmen would take back a good message about the investment climate in Pakistan.
He said that relations between Pakistan and Germany are developing very positively, as a lot of high-ranking visits took place last year.
The Ambassador said that exchange of trade delegations always play an important role in raising the level of understanding and the volume of bilateral trade between two sides. Despite all these things and having good growth rate, Pakistan still needs to do more to improve its soft image.
Talking about October 8 earthquake, he said that Germany is one of the few countries whose response was prompt in extending support to the earthquake affectees, and it would continue its support till the rehabilitation of all affectees.
Earlier, LCCI President Shafqat Ali said that trade between Pakistan and Germany was progressing but was still not up to its potential. Both countries need to make more sector-specific efforts to raise the level of bilateral trade. He stressed the need for initiating joint ventures between Pakistani and German entrepreneurs.
Inviting the attention of the German envoy towards the issue of anti-dumping duty on bedlinen, he said that there are doubts about the role of the EU in regulating its trade of European states with rest of the world in the post-2005 scenario. Exports of bedlinen from Pakistan to European Union have been subjected to anti-dumping duties, while the EU is also considering imposition of Rules of Origin, which would mean relocation of Pakistan's textile units to least developed countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Since Germany enjoys a respectable status in the European Union, it must use its influence to review such harsh steps against Pakistan's exports, he said.
About Pakistan's economy, the LCCI President said that Pakistan during the last few years has transformed into a stable regional economy and an investment-friendly state. The boost to the country's economy over the last four years was attributed to the implementation of the reform agenda, improvement in macro-economic framework, enforcement of financial discipline, reduction in external and domestic debt and continuity of economic policies. He said that setting up of Gwadar deep-sea free port, the opening up of trade with Central Asian economies, especially Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and gradual development of a South Asian economic region, were all promising developments, which could be exploited by foreign brand names.
Misbah-ur-Rehman said that the rapidly growing economy of Pakistan and the business-friendly policies of the government must have convinced German businessmen to benefit from the increasing opportunities of trade.
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