A delegation of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) led by its President Tariq Sayeed called on the European Union mission and discussed matter relating to boosting of trade and investment. The other members of the delegation included, Iftikhar Ali Malik, Vice President SCCI, Murtaza Hashwani, and Chief Executive of Hashoo Group and SCCI officials here today.
The mission from the European Union were Peter Berz, Counsellor, Head of Section -Political Economic and Trade Matters, European Union. Tomas Niklasson, Counsellor/Head of Political, Trade and Communication Section, Ms Annette Grunberg, Pakistan Desk Director general Trade and Husnain Iftakhar, Economist/Trade Officer of the European Union, says a statement issued here on Thursday.
Sayeed briefed the delegation about the history of SCCI and its activities and explained them about the SCCI's main focused areas involving Regional Economic Co-operation (Custom and Standards Harmonisation), Safta, Trade facilitation, Transport and Infrastructure development, Tourism, Women Entrepreneurs and SMEs.
He appreciated the EU interest in promoting the regional trade under Safta. He praised that the European Commission is currently designing a new, broader programme of co-operation with Saarc, which should notably seed to promote the harmonisation of standards; facilitate trade; raise awareness about the benefits of regional co-operation; and promote business networking in SAARC area.
The President of SCCI also emphasised the importance Foreign Direct Investments in the region, keeping in view that now investments have overtaken as a basic instrument to promote bilateral, regional and international trade.
He further said that the chamber has keen interest to get benefit of Europe experiences in areas such as free trade and economic union and SCCI would like to focus on long term business partnership to improve EU-SAARC intra-regional trade and EU investments in South Asia.
The President SCCI stressed that the EU must consider Free Trade Agreement with Saarc considering potential of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Berz on the occasion elaborated the President and Vice President SCCI that the delegation of the European Commission (EC) in Pakistan is charged with overseeing and helping to implement co-operation activities at large between Pakistan and the European Union.
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