Italian minister lauds reform measures
Visiting Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Senator Patrizia Toia yesterday highly appreciated the reform measures undertaken by the present government in economic and administrative sectors, reports UNB. She also praised the government's efforts for adopting various social policies in alleviating poverty, enhancing women's participation in economic activities and maintaining political stability in the country. The Italian DFM was talking to the Commerce and Industries Minister Tofael Ahmed at his office. During the meeting, Tofael sought cooperation of Italy in getting GSP for 2-stage local transformation of knit garment.
"We are getting GSP in exporting garments to EU since 1986 under the rules of origin criteria. EU allowed US GSP although we did not have sufficient textile industries to fully comply with the rules of origin for 3-stage local transformation," he said. The minister said Bangladesh RMG exporters have had an open mind in endorsing documents for getting GSP certificates and EU also reciprocated with sympathy for last 10 years. He mentioned difficulties of the governments as well as entrepreneurs and the legal implications of EU's condition on the previous GSP certificates in enjoying derogation of rules of origin from 3-stage to 2-stage local transformation. Tofael said some 14 lakh workers, now employed in garment sector, will be rendered jobless straight as the entrepreneurs would have to shut down their factories in order to get back the benefits from GSP for the last 10 years. "The present government is not allowing any GSP certificate without complying rules of origin criteria," he said. Replying to the Bangladesh minister's arguments, the Italian DFM said Bangladesh has sufficient grounds to relax the EU's condition on GSP certificate, and assured that they would raise the issue with the EU.
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