Ahead of presenting Pakistan's case for a decisive debate on its request for more access to enhance its exports to European market on January 31, the European Commission has allowed Pakistan to sit in the 'green room' where the member countries take important decisions.
As a result of the new status, Pakistan's ambassador on World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Commerce Minister will have permission to sit in the 'green room' where executive committee members of EU take decisions on key trade issues. It is a very special status for a developing country.
In the long run, this will provide Pakistan a good opportunity to interact with any EU member country's representatives and lobby for grant of special concessions to the member countries on important issues.A letter written by Shahid Bashir, Pakistan's ambassador on WTO in Geneva, to Islamabad said that by getting permission to sit in the 'green room' Pakistan will become a part of key decisions that EU member countries would take with regard to access to its market as well as the new trade regime under World Trade Organisation (WTO).
EC is presenting Pakistan's case to the member countries on January 31 for more access to EU market to help it get more share and give support to its ailing economy. The authorities in Islamabad are taking this EC decision as a positive development.
They are pretty confident that this time EC will successfully persuade its member countries to accord approval to a proposal in relation to Pakistan's desire to have increased access to EU market for its major products such as textile and its value added products. The EC's decision of permitting Pakistan to sit in the green room will also help Pakistan to effectively persuade to EU member countries for grant of GSP-plus status in 2014. Pakistan is struggling for a long time for a GSP-plus status from the EC.