January 12, 2003	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 8, 1423

FAISALABAD, Jan 11: The Export Promotion Bureau has suspended the licences for the exports of bedlinen to Europe without assigning any reason, which has created a lot of problems for the exporters.

A group of bedlinen exporters talking to newsmen here on Saturday said before this the licensing used to be suspended for one day only and extended for another day but during last couple of days neither the licensing has been resumed nor was any reason for the suspension given.

They said that the suspension may be the result of over-shipments and initiation of anti-dumping proceedings by the European Commission against Pakistani cotton type bedlinen. Since the proceedings are still in initial stages, the suspension of licensing seems to be incomprehensible. Yet another possibility could be the discrepancies in data reconciling by the EPB with Brussels, the import destination, they said.

They said despite an elaborate and expensive monitoring system, the EPB always lagged behind in reconciliation or giving exact information to exporters about the shipment position.

Suspension of export licensing for EU is the second instance within last three months when the EPB monitoring system has failed.

Elaborating they said in October 2002, export consignments of bedding items were held up at US ports and remained blocked till new quota year started. These consignments have only recently been released after incurring huge demurrage charges to the exporters and loss of textile quota of the country.

Now the same situation appears to be repeating in Europe. The irony of the situation is that EPB had allowed over programming to the exporters allowing them free hand to make shipments of bedlinen to Europe, they added.

They surprised over the complete silence of the EPB in the matter and its failure to take the exporters into confidence.