KARACHI, Feb 26: Federal minister for commerce Humayun Akhtar Khan has convened a meeting of Quota Supervisory Council (QSC) on Monday (March 3) to finalize amendments in the Textile Policy for the year 2003, official sources said.

It is also expected that matters relating to adjustments against last year’s regular quota to those exporters who were prevented from shipments may once again come up for discussion.

The overshipment to European Union (EU) members states last year resulted in EU’s denial of allowing 4000 tons of exceptional flexibility quota to Pakistan.

Consequently, the ministry of commerce disallowed further shipments in many categories, including from those of regular quotas on the assurances to allow adjustment against next year’s (2003) quotas.

The minister for commerce is keen to sort out all the issues confronting exporters in general and textile sector in particular. In the last meeting held on Feb 19, 2003 with the members of QSC, Humayun Akhtar Khan also took issues, which were not on the agenda of the meeting.

Matters relating to the elimination of quotas under the WTO agreements, reconciliation of figures with the US Customs in relation to a number of categories and implementation of ELVIS are also expected to be discussed in the forthcoming meeting, the sources said.

The ministry of commerce has to work hard to prepare itself as well as exporters ahead of quota free era beginning from January 1, 2005. All out efforts have to be made to facilitate exporters in capturing maximum number of world market so that in the WTO regime, Pakistani products would already have market access.

The sources said that the minister may also share his experience with regard to his recent visit to EU in connection with gaining market access and exceptional flexibility quota.