EU Parliament approves Autonomous Trade Preferences for Pakistan

[A.Rafay]

ISLAMABAD - The European Parliament approved with an overwhelming majority a package granting the EU Autonomous Trade Preferences (ATPs) for Pakistan.
The package would allow tariff free export of 75 Pakistani products - mostly textiles - to EU markets until 31 December 2013. The ATPs are expected to become effective around end October 2012 following completion of administrative procedure.
The grant of ATPs is in response to President Zardari’s appeal for enhanced market access to the EU, first made during the Pakistan-EU Summit held in Brussels in 2009.
Earlier in June 2012, the European Parliament approved a new GSP+ scheme. Under the new scheme Pakistan would be able to apply and if all the necessary conditions are fulfilled, our export to the EU would receive duty free treatment from January 2014.
The approval of the ATPs is a clear manifestation of growing Pakistan-EU relations since the inception of democratic government in 2008 and EU’s commitment to help Pakistan through trade. The trade concessions will create new opportunities and jobs.
The Government of Pakistan expressed its gratitude to the EU and its 27-member states for their continued support.

 

[A.Rafay]

Source:EU Parliament approves Autonomous Trade Preferences for Pakistan | Pakistan Today | Latest news | Breaking news | Pakistan News | World news | Business | Sport and Multimedia

 

[RoYaL~GuJJaR]

Congrats....

 

[hankau62]

Is it only for one year?? why not negotiate for longer term say 5 yrs?

 

[FaujHistorian]

ISLAMABAD - The European Parliament approved with an overwhelming majority a package granting the EU Autonomous Trade Preferences (ATPs) for Pakistan.
The package would allow tariff free export of 75 Pakistani products - mostly textiles - to EU markets until 31 December 2013. The ATPs are expected to become effective around end October 2012 following completion of administrative procedure.

This is great news for Pak industries especially textile.

Credit goes to Zardari government for negotiating this deal at a time when EU itself is suffering from bad economy and Euro currency seems to be in so much trouble.

However we must not forget that such deals won't be possible or continued only if Pakistan returns the favor by supporting NATO/EU operations in Afghanistan.

We also need to do something about power sector because many of our industries including textile mills are suffering from severe shortage of electricity.

Now that we have "Raja Rental" as our PM, we as a nation must ask why can't we import cheap CNG from oversees to run the power stations. Americans have the gas prices fall to $3 mcf. That should allow Pakistan to sign long term contracts that could prove much cheaper than importing oil to fuel our power stations.


peace

 

[turbo charged]

they want a safe exit from afghanistan and just for face saving they are doing it.......they should have done this 10 years ago when War on terror started and they saw a decade of war and blood-shed ahead....but they dident did it then.....

when u go of in a far off land and build a factory there....you offer work incentives and salary while hiring workers......you dont do it 10 years later when you are out of business and are facing loss and factory is about get closed.....dosent makes sense

proves that they are stuck in afghanistan and without help from Pakistan there will be no negotiation with taleban....hence no safe exit.

considering election year is ahead and taleban in afghanistan are stronger than ever and green and on blue incidents increasing dramatically.....plus the rate of suicides going up in american military... and national debt also going up..unemployment increasing day by day..overall situation looks pretty grim especially when US media censors all the american loss and public at large is unaware of true cost of war...