EU publishes ‘Blue Book’ on ties with Pakistan: The News

Saturday, December 13, 2008
Mobarik A. Virk

IslamabadContrary to the general perception that the US, or Saudi Arabia or China are the largest economic and development partners/donors of Pakistan, the fact is that the European Union is the largest partner of Pakistan in trade, the development assistance and in strengthening the democratic process! These facts were highlighted in the ‘Blue Book 2008’ prepared by the European Union (EU) and jointly launched here Friday morning by the Ambassador of France, Daniel Jouanneau, and the Ambassador Jan de Kok, the Head of Mission of EU in Islamabad.The ‘Blue Book Pakistan 2008’ is the first edition launched in Pakistan focusing on the cooperation between the European Union and Pakistan in various fields.

“The ‘Blue Book’ highlights EU’s cooperation and assistance in many countries of the world is being published for the past many years. This is the first time that this ‘EU Blue Book’ for Pakistan has been published,” a spokesman for the French embassy told a select group of journalists invited to this launch of the book at ‘French Residence’ on Friday morning.The ‘Blue Book’ highlighted that the EU is Pakistan’s largest export market with EU-Pakistan bilateral trade in the year 2007 being 7.1 billion Euros.

According to the ‘Blue Book’, the EU is the destination of around 20 per cent of Pakistan’s foreign trade. “Due to lack of diversification, textiles and clothing still account for more than 65 per cent of Pakistan’s export to the EU. In 2007, Pakistan export to the EU was 3.4 billion Euros whereas the EU export to Pakistan was 3.7 billion Euros. The EU is also Pakistan’s largest source of foreign direct investment,” the ‘Blue Book’ said.

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