Pakistan and the European Union have emphasized the need to further deepen trade and investment ties — particularly through the EU’s GSP+ scheme — to support sustainable growth, export diversification, job creation and mutually beneficial economic opportunities, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday.
The statement followed the 7th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue held in Brussels, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. GSP+ enables Pakistan to access the European market with duty-free or minimal duties on most exports.
According to the FO, the dialogue offered a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of Pakistan-EU relations, building on recent high-level engagements and steady institutional cooperation. Both sides reiterated their commitment to a broad-based, multidimensional and forward-looking partnership grounded in shared values, the UN Charter, multilateralism and mutual respect. They also exchanged views on key regional and global developments, including the situation in South Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East and wider geopolitical trends. The FO said both sides stressed the importance of coordinated efforts for peace, stability, sustainable development, and tackling global challenges such as climate change and connectivity.
Pakistan and the EU also agreed to further strengthen cooperation under the Strategic Engagement Plan, advance ongoing dialogues and identify new avenues for collaboration in the coming years. GSP+ is a special incentive for developing countries that commit to sustainable development and good governance, offering zero duty on two-thirds of EU tariff lines, provided recipients implement 27 international conventions related to human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and good governance.
Earlier this week, EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis reiterated that Pakistan must “do more” to meet its GSP+ obligations ahead of the upcoming review.
