ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Pakistan will start second round of discussion on accession to the new Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) plus scheme (zero rate of duty) with four major European Union (EU) member countries from January 16.

An official source in the commerce ministry told Dawn on Thursday that Federal Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan will leave on January 15 for an official visit to the EU countries as part of Pakistan's strategy to get the possible market for Pakistani products.

Mr Khan would visit Belgium, Germany, Poland and Italy for lobbying seeking linkage of zero rating in the new GSP with Pakistan's role in security. The commerce minister in its first round of negotiation had visited the capitals of the 12 EU-member countries to get their support for getting concession in the new GSP.

Pakistan has demanded of the EU relaxation in two conditionalities necessary for getting access to the GSP plus scheme. Islamabad requested for a grace period of three years up to 2008 for ratifications and implementation of all the 27 conventions attached with the new GSP scheme.

Pakistan also demanded increase in the limit of share from one per cent to two per cent in the total GSP trade, which was necessary for qualifying for the new GSP plus scheme. This means that those countries, which have more than one per cent share in the total GSP trade would not qualify for the zero rating duty under the new scheme.