LAHORE: German Ambassador Alfred Grannas stressed on developing synergies in bilateral trade expansion, mutual capacity building in textile sectors and bilateral exchange of business delegations to identify trade and investment options.
He visited the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) office here on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Ms Jenine Rohwer, First Secretary Economic & Political and Dr Sebastian Paust, Head of Development Cooperation.
APTMA Chairman (North) Kamran Arshad welcomed him on the occasion with other senior members of the association.
The envoy said the government of Pakistan should ensure implementation of GSP Plus compliances.
He said there was also a need on part of Pakistani exporters to understand the supply chain regulations in Germany to increase exports.
According to him, the German Development Cooperation will set up a help desk in Pakistan.
Kamran Arshad offered the premises of the APTMA Lahore for the same with full logistic support.
Regarding delay in issuance of visas for Germany, the ambassador explained in detail the procedure for obtaining business visas. He assured that visas for business purposes will be issued with two weeks time
if the prescribed procedure was followed by the applicants.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the chairman APTMA said the EU’s extension of the GSP plus for another 10 years would bring enormous benefits to Pakistan economically and make improvements in human rights, labour rights, environments, good governance and transparency etc.
According to him, the Euro 45 million Technical Cooperation Agreement between Pakistan and Germany should focus on enhancing bilateral trade.
He also underscored the need of mutual capacity building in the textile sectors and training on the new EU Digital Product Passport requirements besides orientation programme on the new EU Green Deal regulations. He also emphasized on developing a mechanism for prompt issuance of visas to APTMA members.
According to him, the GSP-Plus facility had allowed access to Pakistani exports to compete with its competitors such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc., making Pakistan eligible to export 78 per cent of its four products duty free in the EU.
He pointed out that the facility had enhanced Pakistan’s exports to the EU by 73 per cent and to Germany by 40 per cent from 2013 to 2024.
He informed the visiting envoy that APTMA members were fully compliant of 27 conventions of GSP plus and making efforts for compliance of new conventions as well.
Textile mills had made great contribution towards clean environment and implementation of Sustainable Development Goals and moving away from fossil fuels, amid the ongoing global energy crisis.
He said the industry had also focused on use of preferred fibres like organic, BCI cotton and recycled polyester and setting up effluent and water treatment plants, enabling Green Environment and Socially responsible industry for future cooperation with the Western world.
Former chairman APTMA Abdul Rahim Nasir while calling the GSP Plus as a big plus for Pakistan, urged the German envoy to enhance cooperation in the field of biotechnology to support corporate farming in Pakistan.
