• As Islamabad negotiates its reapplication for critical trading scheme, EU envoy says GSP+ benefits ‘can’t be taken for granted’
• Country may continue to receive benefits until 2028-end, but this doesn’t mean automatic rollover into new scheme
• Islamabad remains engaged with bloc on ‘effective implementation of international conventions’; FO says EU assessment didn’t offer ‘sufficiently balanced picture’ of Pakistan’s performance
ISLAMABAD: Amid an ongoing intense engagement between Islamabad and Brussels over a trading scheme and its future, the European Union’s ambassador has cautioned that GSP+ benefits cannot be taken for granted.
The cautionary note comes as the current EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences framework is set to expire at the end of this year, and Pakistan is required to seek inclusion in the successor regime, which would carry more stringent requirements.“The situation is not certain. And, of course, GSP+ preferences cannot be taken for granted.”
Though the new trading framework will take effect with the turn of the year, Pakistan and other existing beneficiaries will continue to receive preferences during a two-year transition period ending on Dec 31, 2028.
But the transition does not amount to an automatic continuation of the facility for the two-year period, or a roll over into the new scheme.
A European Commission assessment covering the years 2023-25, released in July this year, concluded that Pakistan had faced compliance issues with its obligations, regressed in a number of areas and made limited positive change.
Moreover, while acknowledging legislative and administrative measures, it noted that much of the progress had yet to translate into improvements on the ground.
The report had identified significant concerns relating to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, freedom of expression, journalists’ and minority rights, judicial independence, access to justice and forced labour.
“There are areas of regression, and of course, this means that the government needs to address them,” Mr Karoblis said, adding that this applied both to the implementation of the current GSP+ convention, and its reapplication for the new scheme.
Diplomatic discussions between Pakistan and the EU suggest that Islamabad is aware of the gravity of the situation, though questions remain over whether it has yet moved decisively towards addressing the concerns that Brussels has repeatedly raised.
At last week’s press briefing, Dawn asked outgoing Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi about how that dialogue is progressing, and how he viewed the EU’s assessment of Pakistan compliance.
