EU concerned over child labour

Ambassador says Pakistan’s GSP Plus record has both positives, negatives

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s progress on 27 conventions related to the GSP Plus scheme is in the grey area according to the latest report of the European Commission, said European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara.

The areas of concern primarily pertain to human rights which include freedom of press, child labour, minimum wage, working conditions, women’s rights and treatment of minorities and other vulnerable groups, she said.

“There are positives and negatives of Pakistan’s overall GSP Plus record, however, the country needs to improve the state of its human rights,” she said in a consultative session with Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo on Friday.

Kaminara added that the European Union was moving towards an expanded and enhanced GSP programme, which might be called GSP++ or GSP+ v2.0.

Speaking on the occasion, the FPCCI president expressed the collective resolve of the business, industry and trade community of Pakistan and said that the country should be treated on a par with other regional countries as well as nations with similar economic conditions and challenges.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2021.

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