Dhaka, May 31 -- Bangladesh's import policy in the making appears at odds with emerging trade requirements in the European Union and the United States as it proposes allowing apparel exporters to qualify for incentives with a minimum 30-percent local value addition.

Industry leaders say the EU's proposed Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) framework will require "double transformation" for garment exports, which they estimate would translate into around 40-percent local value addition.

Similarly, exporters say recent US trade rules require at least 40-percent local value addition, failing which shipments could be treated as transshipments.

To qualify for the EU's proposed GSP+ framework, Bangladeshi garment exporters will nee...