Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has highlighted the importance of the European Union’s GSP+ trade preferences for Pakistan’s economic development, employment generation and exports during a meeting with senior EU leaders in New York.
The prime minister met European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where the leaders reviewed the broad spectrum of Pakistan-EU relations.
Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continued engagement with the European Union under the GSP+ framework and to further strengthening the country’s broad-based partnership with the bloc.
The EU’s GSP+ scheme provides tariff preferences to eligible developing countries in exchange for commitments to implement international conventions covering areas including human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and good governance. Pakistan has benefited from the arrangement since 2014.
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The prime minister also stressed the importance of sustained leadership-level engagement to provide greater direction and momentum to Pakistan-EU relations. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the full implementation of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan.
Von der Leyen described her meeting with Shehbaz Sharif as “very good” and said the EU valued its partnership with Pakistan. She said the Strategic Engagement Plan reflected the breadth of bilateral ties and the shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights and civic space.
The EU Commission president also said the two sides discussed taking the partnership forward in areas including trade and migration. She further acknowledged Pakistan’s role in supporting dialogue and de-escalation in regional conflicts, according to her public remarks reported after the meeting.
The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments and emphasized the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, international law and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Pakistan’s GSP+ engagement comes as the European Union moves toward a new GSP framework. During the eighth EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in June, the two sides discussed the EU’s new GSP+ regulation, with Pakistan expressing its interest in joining the new scheme and both sides agreeing to work toward the relevant conditions.
The EU has continued to monitor Pakistan’s implementation of the 27 international conventions linked to GSP+, while Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to meeting its obligations under the framework.
The economic relationship has also seen recent developments. On September 21, Pakistan and the EU signed three financing agreements worth €65 million covering investment facilitation, energy and environmental resilience in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and support for the rule of law and business environment.
Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his invitation to the presidents of the European Council and European Commission to visit Pakistan and expressed his intention to continue working with EU leadership to deepen bilateral cooperation.
