Marketing firm to be hired for better access of textile products
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Government of Pakistan will hire the services of well reputed marketing firm to ensure access of textile products in European Union markets and resolve the issues in this regard, sources said here on Thursday.
Sources said that EU markets had a great attraction for Pakistani textile products and textile exporters had to compete the products of countries like China, India, Sarilanka, and Bangladesh.
This firm will suggest appropriate measures to achieve markets and help settle the issues like anti-dumping duties on Pakistani bedlinen in EU markets.
Pakistani textile exporters are paying 100 million dollars per annum on export of bedlinen to European Union markets in term of custom and anti-dumping duties in quota free regime, sources said. Sources said that the 13.1 percent anti-dumping and 12 percent custom duties were heavy burden on bed linen exports to EU markets and it was a conspiracy on EU side to deprive the Pakistan from the big markets.
He said that European Union is the principal market for Pakistan's bedlinen exports with a market size of over $500 million per annum and 100 million dollars are being paid against the WTO rules.
He said Pakistan's bedlinen exports have traditionally enjoyed entry into the EU market at EU/GSP preferential tariffs under general arrangements and in 2002, nearly all our manufactured goods, except yarns and fabrics in the textile sector and whole of the leather sector were granted full duty exemption by virtue of recognizing Pakistan as a drug combat country.
He said Pakistani exporters of bedwear contested the anti-dumping proceedings against Pakistani bedlinen at every stage but it had not been resulted in bringing ant relief to them. On the other side, India is enjoying an advantage of over 15.58 percent in duties over Pakistani textile exports to European markets in the quota-free era beginning from January 2005, industry sources said.
If government does not take action in this regard, it will be difficult to achieve the set target of 17 billion dollars for the financial year 2005-06,"sources added.