September 26, 2006	Tuesday	Ramazan 2, 1427

ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: The European Commission has conveyed its unwillingness to Pakistan for amending its rice regulation, saying any amendment to the regime was not possible without consulting India, it is learnt.

Pakistan was demanding of the EC two separate lists one each for India and Pakistan for the purpose of zero rate of duty -- that has been under consideration since June 2004 with the commission.

"The EC authorities have conveyed to the relevant Pakistani ministry that it would not be possible for the commission to amend its regulation 972/2006, as it was based on exchange of letter and any amendment was not possible without consulting the signatories -- India," sources said.

In June 2004, the sources said, the EC had assured Pakistan that erroneous inclusion of super basmati in Indian list of zero rated basmati rice would be corrected following formal objection from Pakistan.

After Pakistan signed a bilateral agreement with the EC on the basis of this assurance, the commission reportedly informed Pakistan that it was difficult to change it without other signatory India agreeing to it.

Taking advantage of the EU gift, the sources said, India notified legal export of Pakistani super basmati from India on May 24 this year. Stakeholders in the Pakistan trade immediately informed the ministry of commerce to protest this blatant theft with the Indian counterpart, besides suggesting many options of protest.

No tangible action from the government had been taken till now, the sources said, adding that now a meeting is scheduled to further discuss the issue on Tuesday in Islamabad.

In the meant time, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Chairman Haji Abdul Majeed had resigned from its position reportedly owing to political interference and difference within the association.

Trade sources lamented that the relevant ministries response might be too late and too little as Indian had already planted super basmati that was ready for harvest. REAP internal politics has also made it difficult for a unified position to be taken by the entire trade on this issue.

The sources said the secretary commerce was schedule to visit Brussels by the end of this month to meet the EC director general on agriculture for discussing the issue.

Meanwhile, the sources said the commerce ministry would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to work out future course of action in this regard, especially to discuss the findings of the two joint secretaries with the rice stakeholders recently visited London and Brussels.

The government, they said, was considering for collective trademark registration of super basmati, for which an application had already been submitted with the trade registrar office.

But this registration of super basmati as collective trademarks had already invited greater criticism from other super basmati stakeholders -- millers, exporters, retailers and wholesales. The only beneficiary would be the growers of the super basmati, the sources added.