ISLAMABAD: The federal government is reportedly planning to hold a meeting with the ambassadors of member countries of European Union (EU) to Pakistan aimed at taking them into confidence on resolution tabled in the National Assembly in the light of agreement with "banned" Tahreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), well informed sources told Business Recorder.
Last week, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for review of GSP+ status granted to Pakistan in view of an "alarming increase in use of blasphemy accusations as well as rising number of online and offline attacks on journalists and civil society.”
The sources said, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to hold an inter-ministerial meeting to weigh the implications of European Parliament resolution on Pakistan's GSP+ status.
Pakistan's ambassador to Belgium has also shared his initial report with Islamabad on the resolution, motives behind it and implications on the GSP+ scheme.
The sources said, the ambassadors of European Union member countries will be briefed that the resolution in the National Assembly was tabled by a private member, not the government.
In November, 18, 2020 Business Recorder ran a story on the possibility of a withdrawal of trade incentives available under Generalised System of Preferences plus (GSP+) scheme of European Union (EU) if any coercive action is taken against France.
According to the GSP plus criteria, the EU can suspend the scheme at any time, if it finds that the recipient country was not following the agreement in letter and spirit.
The government has budgeted estimates of $25.373 million project loans from France for 2020-21. France has disbursed $25.3 million so far for different projects including $21.14 million for Power Transmission Enhancement Investment (PR TR-IV) project which was not budgeted.
France has disbursed $0.30 million for 48 MW Jagran HPP-II, AJK and $3.89 million for Rehabilitation of Mangla hydropower project in the current financial year so far. However, no amount has been disbursed of the $21.18 million budgeted estimates for capacity building of AJK power development organisation, 34.5 MW Harpo HPP Skardu (co-financing Kfw), extension of water resources Faisalabad city phase-II, Warsak hydropower project-II, Dargai HPP, Chitral hydropower project and Heritage & Urban Regeneration in Walled city of Lahore.
The EU has already started parlays on new criteria for GSP plus for the beneficiary countries from 2023. The GSP plus incentives available to Pakistan will expire in 2022 and Pakistan is hopeful that they will be extended after 2022.
Analysts argue that France and other European countries can also give tough time to Pakistan at the FATF meeting scheduled to be held in May and June 2021.
GSP plus is a trade agreement through which the EU concedes significant tariff preferences for exports from Pakistan while Pakistan commits to efficient implementation and monitoring of the implementation of 27 core international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance. The Promotion of Human Rights project was designed to support the government of Pakistan in implementation as well as promotion of human rights.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed.