PTI’s Qureshi warns Pakistan could lose GSP+ status

LAHORE:

PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi warned that Pakistan could risk losing the European Union’s GSP+ trade status if sufficient progress was not made on human rights, labour rights and governance reforms.

The EU’s GSP+ offers developing countries preferential access to European markets in return for commitments on sustainable development and good governance.

Under the scheme, eligible countries are required to implement 27 international conventions covering human rights, labour rights, environmental protection, and good governance. In exchange, the EU reduces import duties to zero on more than two-thirds of the tariff lines applied to its exports. Pakistan is currently one of eight countries that benefit from this scheme.

In a statement issued from Kot Lakhpat Jail through his counsel, Rana Mudassar Umar, Qureshi said the EU continued to closely monitor Pakistan’s compliance with commitments relating to human rights, workers’ rights, freedom of expression and democratic governance.

He noted that Pakistan exported goods worth €8.7 billion to the EU in 2025, of which approximately €7 billion were exported under the GSP+ scheme, highlighting the facility’s critical importance for the country’s economy and export sector.

Qureshi said the current GSP+ arrangement would expire in 2027, and Pakistan would have to meet stricter conditions to qualify for the next phase of the preferential trade scheme. He stressed that securing GSP+ status was not an easy task and required extensive diplomatic efforts at the international level.

He recalled that lobbying was undertaken in European capitals to build support for Pakistan’s inclusion in the scheme, adding that former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also approached to advocate Pakistan’s case with European countries.

He credited ex-Punjab governor Chaudhry Sarwar for playing an important role in helping Pakistan obtain GSP+ status.