Pakistan textile exporters have started picking up benefits by shipping consignments under the GSP plus arrangement. The routine business with the EU has started gaining momentum and actual benefit of the scheme will get clear by next six months.

The value-added exporters said that the EU customers are gearing up their queries to take benefit of the scheme from all across the Europe. But, it is worth noting that the central government has responded to the trade concession from the EU positively by ensuring gas supply to the basic textile units and electricity supply to the value-added units during winter, which was rare during the previous regime.

Former Chairman Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) Ijaz Khokhar said that the consignments, treated under the GSP plus arrangement have been shipped by air so far and they have not received any complaint as yet from any member and added saying that his own consignments are cleared duty free by the EU officials.

However, Ijaz Khokhar has yet pressed hard for toeing the GSP plus implementation committee recommendations to boost the benefit from GSP plus status. The government should encourage the exporters to diversify their products instead of trying their lucks in traditionally exportable goods.

M I Khurram, a leading knitwear exporter, said the EU is entertaining textile goods from Pakistan duty free. It may be noted that the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission informed Pakistan Mission to the EU on 30th December 2013 that it is the date of acceptance of the customs declaration for release for free circulation of the goods by the customs authorities of the member state of importation.

The consignments are air-shipped which are being cleared by the EU customs officials under the Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of 25 October 2012 (GSP Regulation) issued as Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 1/2014 of 28 August 2013.

According to the latest export data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, the month-on-month value-added exports have increased by over 20% during December 2013,