EC likely to remove bedlinen anti-dumping duty

[LahoreEstate]

KARACHI: The anti-dumping duty, imposed by the European Commission (EC) on bedlinen imports from Pakistan is likely to expire on March 05 followed by the review of these anti-dumping measures, it is learnt.

No objection has been filed by any member of the European Union by the first week of December—the last date for submission of application in this regard. The prospects are bright for removal of this duty, which caused major hurt to bedlinen exports from Pakistan.

According to the EC policy if a written request for review is not received in the stipulated time period, the anti-dumping measures will automatically expire on the next review date.

EC slapped an anti-dumping duty of 13.1 percent in early 2004, but following the protest of Pakistani exporters, the European Commission immediately announced a partial review.

In the first closure of the review, the duty was brought down to 9.9 percent, which was further cut down to 7.6 percent in second review. While on May 06 2006, the duty was further cut down to 5.8 percent.

The bedlinen export sector is quite hopeful about the removal of this duty and if abolished, it would give a big boost to the export of bedlinen from Pakistan.

“We have been lobbying for removal of this duty and it appears that it would be scrapped in March,” Advisor to Prime Minister on Textile, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig stated.

Pakistan Bedwear Exporters Association (PBEA) Shabbir Ahmed also hoped about the good news from EU about the anti-dumping duty on bedlinen.

He said that since the imposition of this duty some five years back, Pakistan lost a major share of bedlinen exports.

Dr Baig estimated that country lost $250 to $300 million annually in bedlinen export due to this duty and its benefit went to China and India and by some extent to Indonesia during this period.

“Bangladesh benefited the least as it has comparative advantage in garments and is not competitive in home textile,” he said rejecting the notion that Bangladesh reaped the benefits from this duty on Pakistani products.

He also called it a success of “trade diplomacy” that government has initiated and added that efforts are also underway for greater market access to EU countries for textile and clothing, the mainstay of Pakistan exports.

Pakistan made untiring efforts in the past years to remove the anti-dumping duty and for greater market access contending that country paid a heavy price by joining the Western allies in their war on terror and deserved trade concessions from its trading partners in West.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg5_3