TRTA Puts Pakistan’s Trade on Right Direction
Pakistan Times Business & Commerce Desk

ISLAMABAD: The European Commission (EC) funded Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA) achieved a great success in making positive contribution towards developing Pakistan’s trade capacity.

“The TRTA initiated in 2004 is scheduled to be terminated by September end,” official sources said adding that witnessing the success of the programme the government had requested the EU to support another TRTA for trade capacity building.

The programme was launched to help Pakistani firms develop dynamic exporting capabilities, reduce export challenges and raise their trading capacity through plant investment in technologies to meet export market requirements and strengthening institutional infrastructure services for conformity assessment.

The TRTA project had laid solid foundation in enhancing Pakistan’s capacity to trade and access to international markets, the sources said adding that “the programme has provided significant interventions in strengthening the capacities and capabilities of the mainline ministries and institutions concerned with commerce and trade.

There was need to continue this effort into the future so as to consolidate the gains made and complete the trade capacity building process initiated under the programme, they added.

“The government has already made a formal request to the EC in this regard,” sources said and expressed the hope that EC would favourably consider the request and continue funding for the purpose.”

The TRTA programme had made a positive contribution in developing Pakistan’s trade capacity and it would help Pakistani exporters to reduce cost of the local products.

“The exporters will now be able to send their products for testing to local laboratories that are in the process of accreditation,” sources said adding that “at the same time, authorities in European Union will now have more confidence in the results of tests made in Pakistani laboratories.”

TRTA programme would allow Pakistan to properly defend its interest in the World Trade Organization (WTO) because its government officials have now been trained to better understand the rules and functions of the WTO.

“The programme helped enhance awareness among government officials, the business sector and civil society about the implications of WTO Agreements on the economy of the country,” They added.

Besides, the programme assisted Pakistan in building capacity to address technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary compliance requirements, the sources concluded.●