Plan to include stationery items in FTAs
The News-International, Pakistan
Plan to include stationery items in FTAs
11 March 2008
KARACHI: The WTO cell of TDAP has been given a task to work with the stationery industry and develop a proposal for the Ministry of Commerce to include stationery items in the free trade agreement (FTA).
This task was assigned to the WTO cell by the Chief Executive, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Tariq Ikram at a recently held debriefing of stationery manufacturers who participated in the “Paper World China”, Shanghai exhibition in November 2007.
It was noticed that none of the existing FTAs benefited the stationery industry. The meeting felt that it was necessary to include stationery items in the FTAs, RTAs and PTAs that have been already signed or are to be signed in the future. TDAP chief formed a seven-member committee led by the Chairman of Writing Instruments Manufacturers Group of Pakistan to chalk-out a strategy paper to boost the export of stationery items.
The exhibitors informed the TDAP that almost all participating booked significant orders not only from buyers in China but also from Turkey, Egypt, North Africa, USA, Europe and various other countries.
