Pakistan seeks reciprocity in trade facilitation from Canada
During the eighth trade policy review of Canada held at the WTO on 21 March 2007, Pakistan sought Canadian intervention on removing bottlenecks in clearance of Pakistani cargo containers at Canadian destinations. Besides, Pakistan also emphasized the need for Canada to revisit their preferential market access scheme for developing countries; and questioned their discriminatory visa policy for Pakistani businesspersons.
Mr. Gerry Salembier, Director General of the Multilateral Trade Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada, leading a high-level delegation, presented the outlay of their current trade policy practices and shared the vision and strategies for future. Availing the opportunity of his presence, 24 countries including Pakistan, offered comments and expressed their views about their perception of Canadian trade policy measures during the past four years. While generally appreciating Canadian government for their bold and liberal policies in oxygenating global trade, investment and employment, these Member states also made known their concerns about certain trade related measures of Canada, like tariff peaks, tariff escalation, agriculture tariff structure, investment regime, procurement policies, TRIPS issues and trade facilitation.
Making optimum use of this “Trade Policy Review Mechanism”, the Member states, keeping in view their national trade interests, are free to raise written questions and seek clarification from the visiting delegation. Pakistan, availing this opportunity, raised following questions with the Canadian authorities:
1. At the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in December 2005, Ministers agreed that for grant of duty free, quota free access to LDCs, its impact on other similarly placed countries would be taken into account. Has Canada analyzed as to how this initiative affected in real terms the imports from other low-income developing countries such as Pakistan when Canada allowed duty free quota free market access to some countries?
2. While there is liberal trade environment for industrial goods, some non-tariff barriers like undue delay of containers at the port of landing, diversion of cargo to other ports and inspection hassles add to the cost of doing business; and discourage Canadian importers to retain the supply chain with the established partners. Would Canada like to explain the reasons as to why imports coming from developing countries are subjected to discriminatory practices; and does Canada have any plan to redress such grievances?
3. Pronounced tariff escalations among semi-processed and fully processed agricultural products have an adverse impact on investment in food processing sectors in developing countries. Does Canada intend to adjust these tariff escalations in order to encourage value-added exports from developing countries?
4. As per Canadian law, the importers of fresh fruit and vegetables must be licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which delays the export of developing countries executed by new importers in Canada. Is there any plan to provide some Special and Differential Treatment to developing countries in this regard?
5. While the Canadian government is encouraging immigration of professional human resource from Pakistan, it is generally denying business visas to the genuine businesspersons, who are nominated by their respective trade bodies and recommended by the government for their business related travel. Could Canada justify such discriminatory policies that run against business and economic interest of developing countries?
Written replies to these questions are awaited from the Canadian authorities.
(Click here for full text of the statement made by Pakistan at this occasion)
