German envoy for taking advantage of wide range of GSP Plus

FAISALABAD: Pakistan should take advantage of the wide range of GSP Plus to increase exports to Germany, said German Ambassador Ina Lepel while addressing the business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Tuesday.

She expressed satisfaction with the bilateral relations between the two countries and said Pakistan has roads and infrastructure for investment, but there are also challenges in taxation and regulation. She appreciated German technology and said Pakistan should take full advantage of it.

Mentioning GSP Plus, She said “Pakistan is currently benefiting only from the export of textiles and leather, etc., while this duty-free facility also includes many other non-traditional items, by taking advantage of which it can further improve its economy.”

She also mentioned German aid to Pakistan and said European Union funds are available for improvement in many other sectors including textiles, which Pakistan should benefit from.

She said Germany is also providing full assistance for the promotion of technical education in Pakistan through GIZ and this will continue in the future. She said currently 10,000 Pakistani students are studying in Germany, adding that “apart from this, Pakistani labour also goes to Germany for vocational training, but they must know the German language.”

She also answered various questions about visas and said they are given under a procedure.

She also stressed the need for bilateral relations in the joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Pakistan and Germany, so that issues between the private sectors of the two countries can be resolved directly.

Earlier, welcoming the guests, Farooq Yousaf Sheikh, FCCI President, expressed satisfaction with the Pak-German relations and called for their further expansion.

He thanked Germany for its assistance in providing water to Faisalabad. He said Pakistani exports to Germany during 2025-26 were USD 987 million, adding “this trade volume is beneficial for Pakistan.”

He said Germany is Pakistan’s most trusted friend in the European Union, which has played a significant role in Pakistan’s development. He said “many exporters from Faisalabad go to Germany but they face unnecessary delays in getting visas. He said that to solve this problem, a special desk should be set up in the embassy or one day in a week should be allocated for the members of the chamber.

Finally, a question and answer session was held in which Executive Members Waheed Khaliq Ramey, Zahid Butt, Salman Arshad, Muhammad Raees, Ali Raza and Kashif Anjum participated while Senior Vice President Naveed Akram Sheikh thanked the guests.

President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh presented the German Ambassador with a special collar pin, shield and gift on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the FCCI.

Later, she also recorded his impressions in the chamber’s guest book and took a group photo with the participants.

Vice President Engineer Asim Munir, Executive Member Omar Farooq Kahlon, ShahidMajeed, Muhammad Haroon Waheed and Mian Muhammad Tayyab were also present on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026