EU urged to restore ethanol concessions, resolve rice row
A high-level delegation from the European Parliament's Committee on Development, led by Lukas Mandl of Austria, held detailed discussions with Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan in Islamabad on Monday to strengthen bilateral ties under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).
The delegation included Robert Biedron (Poland), Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (Spain), Tomas Zdechovsky (Czechia), and Marc Jongen (Germany), accompanied by EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis and senior advisors, according to an official statement. Welcoming the visitors, Kamal reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to inclusive economic growth, good governance, and sustainable development. He briefed the delegation on Pakistan's progress in human rights, labour reforms, climate action, and institutional strengthening under the GSP+ framework.
He highlighted Pakistan's election to the United Nations' Human Rights Council for 20262028 and the National Commission for Human Rights' "A status" accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI). The minister also cited the Islamabad Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 and new commissions on media, minorities, and interfaith harmony as part of reforms promoting freedom and tolerance. Kamal said the government was working to create a business-friendly environment by lowering interest rates from 22% to 11% and addressing taxation and energy costs. He noted that 60% of Pakistan's population is under 30, making vocational training and skill development key national priorities.
The commerce minister invited EU investment in agriculture, food processing, seed development, SMEs, e-commerce, and technology transfer. He raised two key concerns: the withdrawal of GSP+ duty concessions on ethanol exports that hurt rural livelihoods, and the Geographical Indication (GI) dispute over Basmati rice, urging fair EU consideration.