ISLAMABAD, April 26: Pakistan is likely to seek assistance in technical barriers to trade (TBT) and capacity building from developed countries to maximize the capacity of exportable products.

Well-placed sources told Dawn on Saturday that in the absence of any international standards and conformity assessment system in the country for improving the efficiency of production and facilitating the conduct of international trade, it was feared that most of the exportable products might lose its share in the international markets on the basis of not fulfilling the requirements of international standards.

The technical regulations and standards include packaging, marking and labelling requirements and procedures for assessment of conformity with technical regulations and standards do not create unnecessary obstacles on international trade.

Currently, around 12 developing countries, including six Asian states are receiving technical assistance in TBT related areas and capacity building from Australia through need based bilateral assistance programmes.

“Our systems and institutional infrastructure in these areas are either non-existent or very weak. There is an urgent need to build and improve capacity to meet TBT requirements to be able to secure access in potential markets,” the sources said.

Elaborating further, they said that as Australia was indulged in providing technical assistance in TBT related areas to a large number of Asian countries, Islamabad could get an assistance on capacity building for improving quality and standards for export of fruits and vegetable.

The sources said to cope with these standards it was necessary that the ministries of commerce and food, agriculture and livestock should undertake a study to identify specific technical assistance and capacity building needs at the earliest.

Subsequently, on the finding of such study efforts could be initiated to secure necessary technical assistance from donor agencies and members, both at the bilateral level and multilateral level, said the sources.