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PM Shehbaz Reaffirms Commitment to EU Trade Ties, Highlights Importance of GSP+ Status
PM Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening trade ties with the EU, emphasising the importance of the GSP+ status during a meeting with EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis in Islamabad.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-29
PM Shehbaz Reaffirms Commitment to EU Trade Ties, Highlights Importance of GSP+ Status

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with the European Union (EU) to enhance mutually beneficial trade initiatives, with a particular focus on the GSP+ status.

According to a handout issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with the EU Ambassador to Pakistan, Raimundas Karoblis, who called on him in Islamabad.

The premier welcomed the ambassador and reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to further strengthen cooperation with the EU across areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, development, security, migration and climate change.

Emphasising the importance of the GSP+ scheme, PM Shehbaz said it had played a critical role in boosting trade between Pakistan and the EU. He added that the government was fully committed to working with the EU on trade enhancement initiatives under the GSP+ framework.

The prime minister also expressed satisfaction over the seventh round of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue, held in Brussels in November last year, describing it as a positive step towards deepening bilateral engagement.

In response, Ambassador Karoblis thanked the prime minister for the warm welcome and conveyed good wishes from the EU leadership. He assured PM Shehbaz that he would work to further strengthen Pakistan-EU relations in all spheres.

The ambassador said the EU would continue to engage closely with Pakistan to enhance trade under the GSP+ arrangement, as well as through initiatives such as the first-ever EU-Pakistan Business Forum, scheduled to be held in April.

The GSP+ status, granted to Pakistan in 2014, allows developing countries preferential access to EU markets in return for implementing international conventions related to human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and good governance. Under the scheme, import duties are reduced to zero on two-thirds of tariff lines.

Since the grant of GSP+ status, Pakistan has seen significant trade gains, with textile exports to the EU increasing by 108 per cent due to concessional tariffs.

In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the GSP+ status for developing countries, including Pakistan, for another four years until 2027.

According to the EU’s GSP Convention Compliance Database, Pakistan has ratified all 27 required international conventions. The EU continues to monitor Pakistan’s progress in key areas such as enforced disappearances, torture prevention, freedom of expression, freedom of belief and minority rights.

Last month, the EU welcomed Pakistan’s progress towards implementing the 27 international conventions under the GSP+ framework.
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