EU warns Pakistan GSP+ benefits at risk as compliance concerns mount

Islamabad cannot count on keeping its GSP+ trade concessions, EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis told Dawn, as it prepares to seek a place in the bloc's successor regime. He linked the outlook to compliance doubts on human rights and governance, and said the government must lift its performance during reapplication. The present arrangement runs out late in 2026, and existing users keep preferences only until December 31, 2028, which does not guarantee continuation.

Pakistan has used GSP+ since 2014 and ranks as the largest user of the scheme. Tariff exemptions totalled nearly €732 million in 2024, while €7.115 billion of its exports used preferential access. The EU accounts for around 28% of Pakistan's total exports, and textiles and clothing make up roughly 70-76% of its shipments to the European market.

The Commission's review of 2023-25 flagged shortcomings and backsliding in several fields, and Karoblis voiced serious doubts about implementing the underlying conventions. Pakistan's Foreign Office argued the assessment did not give a balanced picture, while the successor regime raises the bar from 27 to 32 conventions and requires an action plan with timelines and performance indicators.