Textile sector positive on Pak-EU negotiations

Textiles, Pakistan's leading export industry is saving high hopes on the negotiations going on between Pakistan and European Union for gaining free market access in EU, which if it turns positive, would greatly enhance the core export industry of the country.

Experts are expecting the talks to turn positive, on the assumption that the EU market may grant the access in view of the massive floods in Pakistan which have ravaged a greater part of the country. Also as the floods have devastated the country's economy, there is an intensified need for striking this deal with EU, at the earliest.

Presently, whereas the 27-country strong EU, is deliberating on the ways to provide assistance to Pakistani exports to EU, the textile sector experts in Pakistan stated that, there are three main issues that need to be decided.

First being the list of the items, next, the extent of duty concession and the last one being the period for which these duty concessions should be granted. EU is likely to disclose its tariff concession plan, soon.

As of now, 24 percent of country's overall exports which comes to around $4.6 billion are towards EU. As textile alone contributes 68 percent or say $3.1 billion of these exports to EU, hence is seen to benefit the most if the negotiations for duty free access, turn positive.