'Country can enhance exports up to $1 billion by exploiting GSP Plus facility'

"Pakistan has potential to enhance exports up to US one billion dollars per year by exploiting the facility of GSP Plus." President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Engineer Rizwan Ashraf said this while addressing the inaugural function of an awareness session on "Training on EU GSP Plus Scheme - Market Entry Procedures," organised by International Trade Centre (ITC) Islamabad under Trade Related Technical Assistance TRTA II Programme here on Thursday.
He gave a brief resume of the FCCI and Faisalabad city and said that out of 13 billion dollars' textile exports from Pakistan, sixty percent is contributed by Faisalabad. Realising the importance of GSP Plus, the FCCI immediately arranged and organised series of functions for the awareness of the local entrepreneurs and exporters, he mentioned.
He said we are first to set up a "GSP Plus Cell" which was inaugurated by EU ambassador. He termed FCCI as the custodian of the rights of the business community and said that we also play a role in bridging gaps between government, government departments and business community in addition to giving feedback to government for policy making. The repeated visits of government functionaries also help us to resolve our issues related to various government and autonomous bodies.
Regarding grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan, he termed it first step towards enhancing the exports to EU, adding that series of steps and follow-up measures including implementation of 27 international conventions and protocols is must to avail from this status.
He also mentioned much better infrastructure and best work force and competent entrepreneurs. He said that the international compliances will certainly increase our cost of doing business however we are optimistic that by exporting to EU under GSP Plus scheme we could enhance our exports to one billion dollars. He said that exporters are fully prepared to exploit the GSP Plus status, but Government of Pakistan and EU should also take necessary steps for capacity building and facilitation of our exporters.
Earlier Muhammad Owais Khan, Programme Officer Trade Policy ITC, Nasir Rafique Chief WTO/Project Director Registration of Geographical Indications Project, Department of Industries, Commerce and Investment, European Lawyer Jogi Humberto Oshiai, Josephine Koopman, CBI Garment Expert, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Neitherlands, Nadeem Allahwala, FCCI Senior Vice President and Inam Afzal Khan, FCCI Vice President also addressed the function.