European Parliament mulls over report to extend GSP Plus facility to Pakistan

BRUSSELS: The Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status given to Pakistan has come under discussion at the European Parliament on Monday as it reviews the country’s request to extend the facility, ARY NEWS reported.

In February 2018, the European Union (EU) extended Pakistan’s Generalised System of Preferences plus (GSP-Plus) status after the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade expressed satisfaction on the progress achieved by the country in enacting new laws for implementation of 27 core conventions of GSP plus.

The facility was extended for a period of two years then and for another extension, a report detailing compliance from Pakistan on the conditions required from the country for extending the GSP Plus status was tabled before the European Parliament today.

The report said that a country-wide survey was carried out in the country to determine the situation of child labour.

It said that Pakistan is the fourth largest partner in the preferential imports and during 2018, the Pakistani exports to Europe remained at 5.88 billion Euros (€).

It said that the largest part of the European imports that comprises of 62.8 percent, came from Pakistan during 2018.

The report also highlighted that the European Union (EU) is working on the projects aimed at improving the status of women in Pakistani society.

Read More: Pakistan’s exports to Western Europe increase to $2.56 billion

It, however, expressed its concern over discussions in the country on implementation on the hanging of the culprits along with a ban on working of some non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is one of the 10 beneficiaries of the EU’s GSP+ scheme. As a result of duty-free access available to Pakistan in 28 member states, Pakistan’s exports to the EU have increased from 4.54 billion Euros in 2013 to 6.29 billion Euros in 2016 which implies an increase of 38%.

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