GSP Plus status
ISLAMABAD: The authorities concerned have carved out a strategy to cover up the deficit in Pakistan’s support that is to emerge in the times to come in EU bloc because of the exit of UK, under which Pakistan will soon initiate extensive interaction campaign with EU countries at parliament level particularly with Northern European countries to have more well-wisher countries to maintain GSP Plus facility till 2023.
Pakistan has now decided to have seamless transition from GSP Plus to new trade arrangement with Britain. With the exit of UK, Pakistan has also been deprived of its clout in the EU and whenever GSP plus review takes place in future, Islamabad will have to work harder in gaining the required support.
GSP Plus was extended to Pakistan linking it with the implementation of 27 UN conventions out of 6 conventions purely belongs to human rights issues. And to this effect prime minister of Pakistan had constituted Treaty Implementation Cell (TIC) under which a road map was also approved by the chief executive of Pakistan.
The UK have always been supportive of Pakistan in getting GSP plus facility after supporting the initiatives taken by government of Pakistan with regard to progress on compliance of 27 conventions and the vacuum that is to be appeared in the absence of Britain and Pakistan will have no option but to go for more aggressive lobbying in the EU bloc to cultivate more countries in its support on various issues.
The crucial meeting that was held here on Monday in Foreign Office brainstormed for hours the pros and cons of exist of UK from European Union and its impact on Pakistan.
One of the top officials who attended the meeting told The News that UK has historically been pro- trade liberalisation and greater supporter of Pakistan in trade concessions and GSP plus facility.
“The authorities have decided to embark upon a huge extensive interaction campaign within the EU family to harness more friendship in the block to maintain the GSP plus facility.” Under the strategy, the government will emphasize on Germany which is one of the most efficient economies in Pakistan.
Commerce Minister Engr Khurrum Dastgir confirmed that a meeting has been held in foreign office and brainstormed the impacts of Brexit on Pakistan. The minister said undoubtedly UK was pro-trade liberalization in the EU block and it helped Pakistan on many occasions.
“We are going to initiate the MPs (Member Parliament) level interaction to cultivate more support from within the EU family.” He also confirmed that Pakistan will soon initiate the interaction with northern European countries including Germany. “Germany is the country which is also pro-trade liberalization,” the minister said.
The government will concentrate more on Germany, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden. However, there will be no immediate negative impact on Pakistan’s exports to EU countries following the Brexit. Under the Lisbon Treaty, any country that is to leave EU will continue to obey bloc’s treaties for two year after the withdrawal agreement is notified. So no immediate threat is there for Pakistan’s exports to EU member countries and UK.
The minister contented that his ministry will initiate the talks with UK for trade concessions on Pakistan’s items which were earlier being extended when Britain was part of EU. The minister said that with the devaluation of Pond in the wake of Brexit, Pakistan’s export will suffer, but when Pond rebounds, this loss will no longer be there.
With regard to improving compliance of 27 UN Conventions signed by Pakistan, Prime Minister of Pakistan Attorney General of Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali chaired the 11th meeting of the Treaty Implementation Cell here on Friday.
The meeting decided to device an effective monitoring and reporting mechanism on the matters related to human, labour, children, minority rights, climate change, narcotics control and anti-corruption.
Addressing the meeting, Ashtar Ausaf said that the new TIC arrangement shall help us coordinate with concerned departments and agencies more efficiently and would provide a platform to partner with international partners working in the areas of human and labour rights to bring more clarity and reality check for our efforts.
He informed the meeting that European Union has lauded Pakistan’s efforts for establishing the TIC and has decided to replicate the same in other GSP+ beneficiary countries. “We have demonstrated progress in past and we have the same will to do so even now. No democratic country and a representative Government can claim that they have done enough for its own people, we have to keep doing more in every sense of the word,” he added.
While making a presentation, Omer Hameed Economic Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan, Brussels was of the view that EU has recently shared a List of Issues for which federal and provincial governments, international agencies and civil society organizations of Pakistan need to work together to device a monitoring and reporting mechanism.
Appreciating government’s seriousness to establish institutions like TIC, IA Rehman was of the view that though provincial governments has enacted legislation on rights related matters, implementation and institutions building remains a challenging task.
Peter Jacobs said that TIC is a significant development on the course to fulfil international obligations, while issues like vertical and horizontal coordination need to be addressed in order to ensure compliance.
