Pakistan Textile Council seeks PM intervention to retain EU GSP+ status beyond 2028

Pakistan Textile Council has asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to coordinate federal and provincial work to preserve the country’s EU GSP+ trade preferences after December 2028, Profit by Pakistan Today reported. In a letter dated October 22, council chairman Fawad Anwar called for action across government departments and an application for continued access to be completed well before the deadline. The EU-27 bought $7.103 billion of Pakistan’s textile and apparel exports in FY2025-26, equal to 39.5% of the total.

The council said the revised EU scheme requires a new application with binding commitments and a time-limited action plan for preferences to continue from January 2029. It cited rising competition from trade agreements involving India, Bangladesh and Vietnam, while saying EU officials expect progress on human rights and the rule of law. Proposed steps include direct engagement with the European Commission, meeting reporting duties to UN and International Labour Organization bodies, and appointing a senior compliance coordinator.

Pakistan’s textile exports to the EU fell 2% in FY2025-26, although shipments rose 3% to $1.954 billion in July-September 2026. The revised framework runs through 2036, making the upcoming application important to maintaining access to a major destination for Pakistani textile goods.