KARACHI, Jan 27: Consul General of France Pierre Seillan has said he used to receive numerous enquiries from French investors for investment in Pakistan few years back but with the passage of time the interest has declined.

“The French investors today probably do not see the country as a preferred investment destination because of a variety of factors. The country should improve its marketing of the brand Pakistan for attracting investment and should build image to attract overseas investment,” he added.

Talking to the members of the Site Association of Industry (SAI) on Tuesday Mr Seillan said the French agro-business giant in a joint venture in Pakistan, produces the world-class biscuits. Further, there are many French firms engaged in the fields of electrical equipment, oil and gas, rural telephony, civil engineering, and defense etc have subsidiaries and representation offices.

He said there was now more scope for joint ventures in the fields of telecommunications, chemicals, automobiles, shipbuilding etc. There is room for improvement and volume of the trade could be increased through regular and sustained exchange of information, he added.

Mr Seillan was of the view that with development of infrastructure, the possibilities of investment may increase and French entrepreneurs may be attracted to make investment in different sectors in the near future in a big market of 170 million people.

According to a press release of SAI, he said that his country would extend all possible help and assistance towards Alternate Energy projects in Pakistan which is prime need of the hour.

Covering the education side, the consul general said that the France government was continuing to extend all possible help in the field of science and technology for the benefit of both the countries. So many institutions are operating under the French government in Karachi, Faisalabad and Lahore and are imparting training in latest technology.

Commercial Counselor Francis Widmer said, “We should not expect any relaxation from the European Union (EU) in GSP, GSP-plus and regarding anti-dumping duties as alone France cannot help in this matter because it is the unified policy of EU, which drives the trade within and from EU”.

On market access to France directly, he said that it is a difficult task but not impossible because “we are part of the EU club and have to be under the policy making of EC”. He advised that Pakistan diplomatic core posted in the EU should persuade at Brussels and as well as in all the countries, members of EU. Influencing all the member countries of EU may pave the way for a policy, which will also provide market access for Pakistani goods in Europe at the comfortable level for competing the goods received by EU from other countries in the region.

Chairman Site Association of Industry Engr. M. A. Jabbar expressed concern over Pakistan’s limited trade with France, which is one of the ten economies of the world. The trade of less than a billion euro a year, which is less than two per cent of total imports and exports from Pakistan, need to be reviewed.