LONDON, Dec 2: British Prime Minister Tony Blair has asked the European Union (EU) heads of states to consider a number of trade concessions and supporting aid for Pakistan, including lifting of anti-dumping duties and inclusion in the generalised system of preferences plus scheme, to help boost the country’s economy in the aftermath of the Oct 8 earthquake.

A spokesperson for the British foreign office told Dawn on Friday that Mr Blair had written letters to heads of EU member states and talked to the EU trade commissioner for trade concessions to Pakistan.

Currently, Britain is president of the 25-member EU.

Asked if Mr Blair had asked the EU to suspend anti-dumping duties imposed on the export of bed-linen from Pakistan, the foreign office spokesman said the prime minister had asked for suspending anti-dumping duties on the bed-linen and a ‘whole package’ of trade concessions.

The imposition of variable anti-dumping duties had resulted in a 30-40 per cent decline in bed-linen exports from Pakistan to EU countries.

The foreign office spokesman said Mr Blair in his talks with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mendelson had discussed various possibilities to help Pakistan’s economy and industry following the earthquake. The trade measures for Pakistan which Mr Blair discussed included the generalised system of preferences plus scheme, among others, said the spokesman.

Inclusion of Pakistan in the GPPS would help to enhance Islamabad’s export earnings by giving tariff preferences and exemption from import duties to companies in the 25 member EU states which would import goods from Pakistan.

Sources said that Britain in its capacity as EU president had issued two official statements in the first few days after the earthquake expressing the EU’s condolences and willingness to provide as much assistance as possible.

Officials of the British Department for International Development (DFID) discussed Pakistan’s situation in meetings with the EU heads of government, finance, foreign and development ministers. The DFID represented the EU council of ministers at the Nov 19 donors conference in Islamabad and reported back to the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on Nov 21-22.

In the meeting, the EU development ministers agreed on the urgent need to provide practical support to survivors of the earthquake and importance of continuing to strengthen the international community’s capacity to respond to major natural disasters.