KARACHI, Sept 4: The EU wishes to increase the quantum of trade and aspire for closer cooperation in fields of mutual interest such as social sector, governance, science and technology. It, however, can not allow Pakistani seafood to enter its markets as it does not meet European food standards.
This was stated by the EU Ambassador to Pakistan Jan De Kok while responding to a question after his brief speech at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday. He was the first ever EU diplomat to visit the KPC.
He further said that the policy of temporary restriction on the Pakistan International Airlines’ aircraft would also continue till the time qualifying standard requirements to visit European destinations were achieved.
“We are committed to our consumers, who are aware and very sensitive over the quality of supplies in the market, particularly of food and food products. We are not satisfied with the sanitary conditions at preparatory and processing stages of seafood,” he said.
About PIA Mr Kok maintained that it was a similar issue of safety that led to a temporary ban.
“We have no wish to ban either the seafood or your flights to EU but we also can not compromise on our standards. So we hope that standards are obtained for the benefit of both Pakistan and the EU,” he said. He however admitted that there was great potential to enhance two way trade.
Kok made no comment on possibility of a free trade agreement between the EU and Pakistan. He also avoided speaking on the issue of five per cent anti-dumping duty on Pakistani bed linen and exclusion of the country from special preferential treatment that “our other South Asian neighbours, except India, enjoy.”
He, however, claimed that the EU kept a close vigilance on all its programmes in Pakistan that have expanded since September 2004 — three fold after the third generation cooperation agreement was enforced.
He said that projects were monitored and evaluated and pilferage was not tolerated and those found involved in wrongdoings were actually proceeded against.
“I have zero tolerance for two things that are strictly prohibited in my office — corruption and harassment,” he said.
Explaining rationale of projects and programmes that the EU have launched in the country he said, “We do not involve ourselves in bankable projects but are more interested in crucial areas that might not be very lucrative such as literacy, healthcare for dispossessed etc.”