Pakistan is about to enter into a dialog with the European Union on its trade policy in South Asia. According to Pakistan's commerce minister, Huma-yun Akhtar Khan, a meeting of the subcommittee of the Pakistan-EU Commission to review the impact of EU trade policy is to take place in Brussels. In the 8-nation South Asia region Pakistan receives the least benefit from the EU. Exports from five South Asian countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal) that are considered as Least Developed Countries are allowed to enter the EU market tariff-free while Sri Lanka benefits from EU's generalised scheme of preference (GSP). Of the remaining two (Pakistan and India), Pakistan has been excluded from the preferences as a Drug Combat country. Besides, in 2003, the EU imposed 13.1 antidumping duty on Pakistan's bed linen. This has been subsequently reduced to 5.8 for 98 co-operating companies. Others that did not respond to an EU questionnaire at the time of dumping investigation, continue to pay the highest rate.
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