US Importers to lobby for GSP renewal with Pakistan, other Countries

August 24, 2023 (MLN): A group of U.S. importers will lobby Congress on October 18, 2023, to urge them to renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program and make positive changes to improve it.

The GSP program, which expired on December 31, 2020, allows duty-free imports of certain products from developing countries, including Pakistan.

The lobby day event will culminate with the dinner hosted in honor of the diplomatic corps from the GSP Alliance, Congressmen, and the participating U.S. importers.

The lobby day is organized by the Coalition for GSP, a trade association that represents over 400 US companies and associations.

Daniel S. Anthony, the managing director of Trade Partnership Worldwide and the executive director of the Coalition for GSP, contacted the Trade Mission of Pakistan and asked them to share the registration details with U.S. importers who import GSP-eligible products from Pakistan.

The lobby day will include meetings with members of Congress and their staff, as well as a dinner hosted by the GSP Alliance, a group of diplomatic representatives from GSP beneficiary countries.

The Coalition for GSP estimates that the lapse of the program has cost U.S. companies about $3 billion in extra tariffs through June 2023.

The Coalition for GSP hopes that the lobby day will help persuade Congress to renew the program as soon as possible and address some of the issues that affect its effectiveness, such as product exclusions, graduation criteria, and eligibility reviews.

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