PTC urges PM to mobilise ministries to retain GSP+ under new EU scheme

The Pakistan Textile Council has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to coordinate government action to preserve Pakistan’s GSP+ access to the European Union. In a letter dated October 22, chairman Fawad Anwar said Pakistan’s current beneficiary status ends on December 31, 2028, and a fresh application with commitments and a time-bound action plan is required to retain preferences from January 2029. The scheme is set to continue through 2036.

The council said EU-27 countries bought $7.103 billion of Pakistani textile and apparel goods in FY2025-26, equal to 39.5 percent of the country’s $18.004 billion exports. Shipments to the bloc declined 2.0 percent last fiscal year, but increased 3.0 percent to $1.954 billion in July-September 2026. PTC also pointed to competing trade agreements involving India, Bangladesh and Vietnam, while saying the EU expects stronger delivery on existing human-rights and rule-of-law commitments. Its proposals include early application preparation, a senior government focal point, progress reviews and private-sector consultation.