The federal government has approved the removal of the health quarantine certificate requirement for the import and export of leather products, a step aimed at supporting the leather industry and improving its competitiveness in global markets.
In line with the government’s goal to streamline non-tariff measures (NTMs) and reduce business costs, the Ministry of Commerce consulted with public sector stakeholders, including various ministries and regulators. Proposals were gathered to simplify regulatory requirements in the Import Policy Order (IPO) and Export Policy Order (EPO) 2022.
As a result, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) recommended eliminating the need for a health certificate from the Animal Quarantine Department (AQD) for leather products falling under specific PCT codes. These changes affect the Export Policy Order 2022 (Appendix-G) and the Import Policy Order 2022 (Appendix-B).
Currently, the mentioned PCT codes require a health certificate from AQD for leather exports and a release order for imports. Following consultations between AQD and the Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), a decision was made to exclude additional HS codes for pickled leather products, including lamb and sheep skins, from the regulatory requirements.
The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has asked the Ministry of Commerce to initiate amendments to the IPO and EPO to remove these codes from AQD’s purview.
