Machinery & capital goods under EFS: Rules governing imports to be simplified

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to simplify regulations governing imports of machinery and capital goods under the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS), while making qualification criteria uniform and ruling out exemptions, as it seeks to cut exporters’ costs, promote local value addition and boost domestic manufacturing.

Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani announced the direction during a consultative meeting on the EFS, urging small and medium-sized exporters to fully utilise the scheme.

Kayani affirmed the government’s commitment to boosting the export sector and improving the ease of doing business, urging Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) engaged in exports to take full advantage of the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS).

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The meeting was attended by Secretary Commerce, Special Secretaries from Finance and Commerce, senior officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), alongside representatives of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), and the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry and prominant exporters via video link.

During the session, various proposals were reviewed in detail to streamline the scheme, enhance its efficiency, and align it with evolving trade dynamics. Kayani underscored that the prescribed qualification criteria for inclusion in any EFS category would be applied across the board, reiterating that no exemptions would be granted regarding standard operating procedures.

The Minister of State directed the relevant authorities to clarify and simplify regulations governing the import of capital goods and manufacturing machinery for exporters. The meeting also conducted an in-depth review of the amendments at cutting export overheads, encouraging local value addition, and stimulating domestic manufacturing.

The Minister of State for Finance reiterated the government’s resolve to review current exporter schemes, ensuring they are tailored to exporters’ needs to deliver optimal outcomes. The meeting concluded with a consensus to sustain active consultations with all stakeholders and trade bodies to drive export growth and accelerate national economic activity.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026