PM Shehbaz stresses GSP Plus importance in meeting with EU top leadership

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underlined the value of the European Union's GSP Plus arrangement for Pakistan's economic growth, job creation and trade with the bloc. According to a PM's Office statement issued on Thursday, he made the remarks while meeting António Luís Santos da Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. The talks took place on the margins of the UN General Assembly 2026, and Business Recorder carried the account.

Islamabad reaffirmed its commitment to deeper partnership with the EU and to the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan, while Shehbaz stressed that ongoing leadership contact would give the relationship more direction. Both sides reviewed the wider ties and welcomed the growing pace of high-level dialogue. Shehbaz also repeated his invitation for the two presidents to visit Pakistan.

Pakistan was granted GSP Plus status in 2014, giving it duty-free access to around two-thirds of EU tariff lines. Pakistan's exports to the EU rose 108% between 2014 and 2022. Trade volume climbed to EUR 14.85 billion by 2022, up from EUR 8.3 billion in 2013. The two sides also discussed regional and global issues, stressing diplomacy, dialogue and the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law.