Pakistan’s textile and garments sector has emerged as the sole beneficiary of preferential access to the 28-nation European Union under the GSP Plus scheme. From January to July 2015, the value of garments exports to EU witnessed a growth of 26.78 per cent in euro terms. In quantity terms, exports of garments increased by 6.48 per cent.

In euro terms, exports of home textiles witnessed a growth of 17 per cent. Exports of cotton and intermediary goods of textiles dropped by 19.5 per cent. The decline was also witnessed in terms of quantity, which dropped by 8.1 per cent. Exports of total textiles dropped by 4.75 per cent during January to July 2015 over the corresponding period of last year. Carpet and rug exports dropped by 7.06 per cent during January to July 2015, over the corresponding period of last year. Textiles alone constituted around 80 per cent of total exports to the EU during January to July 2015.

Pakistan was granted GSP Plus in 2013. In the first year of the GSP Plus scheme, Pakistan’s exports to EU reached 7.52 billion dollars in calendar year 2014 from 6.22 billion dollars over 2013, an increase of 21.24 per cent.