'GSP plus' status in the EU: Bangladesh objections unfounded: Aptma

The Chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma), Mohsin Aziz, said here on Wednesday that objections raised by Bangladesh about Pakistan on 'GSP plus' status in the EU market "are unfounded" as Pakistan would never be a threat to Bangladesh's apparel industry in the European Union market. Bangladesh has objected entry of eight items of clothing sector of Pakistan in the EU market in a recent development in a meeting held this week in the European Commission.
The Aptma chairman termed this move as unfair, and said that Pakistan had never objected to Bangladesh and, instead, let it grow in the EU market. As a result, Bangladesh exports to the EU have risen to $16 billion in clothing sector from merely $2 billion a few years back he said. Pakistan, on the contrary, has peaked to a mere $1.5 billion in clothing sector in a market of $80 billion in total, he added.
He said that Bangladesh has already developed strong inroads into the EU due to its Least Developed Country (LDC) status and therefore is enjoying a favourable environment and market access. He said entry of clothing sector products of Pakistan to the EU would not yield any significant new investment in the country as this status, if allowed, would be for initial period of just two years and thus it would only activate the idle and unutilised capacities until 2014. Therefore, there is no threat to Bangladesh market, he added.
Mohsin said Bangladesh clothing sector has already grown, having a huge share of $16 billion in the EU market, and it has been growing constantly with a comparatively low cost of doing business against Pakistan. In fact, Pakistan qualifies for market access to the EU on humanity grounds similar to Bangladesh, after being hit severely hit by natural calamities including flood earthquake, etc, besides bearing the brunt of war on terrorism. Therefore, he said, Pakistan needs special favour, and a brotherly country like Bangladesh should not oppose it.
The Aptma chairman has urged the federal government and the ministry of commerce to take up the issue on ministerial and Foreign Office level in the larger interest of the country's exports. He said this issue is more important than the MFN status to India and demands immediate attention of the government policymakers. He expressed hope that Pakistan government would take Bangladesh government into confidence and would ensure it that both the brotherly countries should be complimenting each other rather than competing with each other.