ISLAMABAD: Pakistan needs to enhance its productive capacity and standards compliance to benefit from the recently granted GSP Plus status, acting envoy of European Union Pierre Mayaudon said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at the tenth public-private dialogue organised under the EU-funded trade programme Mayaudon said that the trade concessions granted by EU in the aftermath of devastating floods of 2010 and 2011 will come into force on January 1, 2014 and ninety per cent of the tariff lines are included in the scheme for which Pakistani exporters will face no import duties and no quotas.

However, he cautioned that Pakistani exporters might not be able to capitalise on the opportunity due to energy shortages. The envoy invited all stakeholders to tap into opportunities offered by the new ‘Innovation Programme Horizon 2020.’

The ministry of commerce is focusing on development of an export development roadmap for pharmaceutical and surgical instruments sector to enhance exports, Federal Commerce Secretary Qasim Niaz said while addressing the inaugural session of the Public Private Dialogue (PPD) on technology upgradation.

Niaz appreciated the EU trade related technical assistance and the role of ITC for institutionalising the PPD process for developing policies for different sectors of economy, and stressed the need for value addition and export enhancement in pharma and surgical sectors as both the sectors hold a lot of promise in diversification of Pakistan’s exports.

The process of PPD established under the EU-funded Trade-related Technical Assistance programme. Following an internationally peer reviewed research policy study.

Panel discussants from Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Association of Pakistan, Surgical Instruments Association, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce explained issues being faced by their respective sectors.

Representatives of Drug Regulatory Authority and Pakistan Council of Science and Technology explained government initiatives.