07 February 2005	Monday	27 Zilhaj 1425

ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Women workers in textile sector would be at the losing end if Pakistan failed to get access to the new European Union (EU) generalised system of preferences (GSP) plus scheme-zero rate import duty.

Sources told Dawn that Pakistan might lose $400 million in its export of textile products to the EU member countries if it failed to get access to the GSP plus scheme that is likely to be effective from July 1, 2005.

Textile and clothing sector of Pakistan is a major employer of women that constitutes 30 per cent of working women. The total number of people working in the textile sector stands at 2.3 million. Of these, 1.3 million people are working in garment sector, mostly women.

According to sources, following reduction in export of textile products to the European Union, it was likely that women workers might lose their jobs, as there would be no demand for exportable products.

Besides, since women in textile sector are mostly employed in the stitching department, therefore, in the post-quota regime the owners of the textile industry would now replace them with machines in order to enhance production.

Elaborating further, the sources said Pakistani officials apparently failed to convince the EU authorities to soften their conditions that barred Pakistan's entry into the new GSP plus scheme.

According to the sources, the GSP plus scheme was a rules- based system and it would not be possible for Pakistan to get some special treatment unless all the EU-member countries agreed to do it.

Under the conditions, the EU has asked Pakistan to ratify and implement 27 conventions - 16 pertain to human and labour rights and the rest of 11 to good governance and environment.

According to the sources, the most alarming conditions the EU was attaching with the new GSP scheme was the changing of rules of origin.

Under the proposed rules of origin, any country which had more than 50 per cent imported raw materials etc could not export a product to the EU-member countries with their own brand name.

The sources said the government should consider some relaxation in reduction on input cost of textile products. The textile tycoons should improve the quality, efficiency and reduce the cost of production, which would even make Pakistani products more competitive with those coming from other countries in the EU markets.