The 12th meeting of Saarc committee on economic co-operation will begin here on Saturday in which commerce secretaries of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives will review the progress on expansion of trade and economic co-operation among member countries. Official sources told Business Recorder here on Friday that while reviewing the implementation of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta) the secretaries would specifically discuss three issues:
1. the sensitive list (where no concessions will be available);
rules of 'origin' (for determination of origin of manufactured goods); and
2. technical assistance need by four least developed member states (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
Sources said that "customs facilitation" is another item on the agenda of the committee as there cannot be any appreciable increase in the trade volume unless goods are promptly cleared at the entry points.
The CEC will also prepare a draft of the regional investment treaty to be considered by Saarc Commerce Ministers who would also be holding their two-day meeting in Islamabad November 22 and 23.
Sources said that in both meetings--of commerce secretaries and ministers--the WTO regime will also come up for discussion with particular reference to the regional co-operation.