EU envoy says GSP+ comes with caveats

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan will have to demonstrate clear progress in legislating and effectively implementing various international laws and conventions if it is to continue benefiting from the European Union's GSP+ facility, EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis said on Friday.

He urged the business community, particularly exporters, to ensure compliance with the relevant conventions without delay.

Karoblis made the remarks during a visit to the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) House, where the association's office-bearers held detailed discussions with the EU envoy on the strategy, prospects and challenges surrounding the extension of the GSP+ facility beyond 2027.

The EU identifies implementation of the international conventions underpinning GSP+ as a condition for continued preferential access.

The EU ambassador was accompanied by First Secretary Kurt Ajama, Development Cooperation Manager Thies Munkgaard-Hansen and Senior Economist and Trade Adviser Hasnain A Iftikhar.

Speaking on the occasion, Karoblis said Pakistan would have to demonstrate effective legislation and tangible progress in the implementation of various international laws and conventions to continue benefiting from GSP+.

He urged the business community in general and exporters in particular to ensure immediate implementation of the relevant international conventions and maintain active engagement with the government on issues raised by the European Commission concerning human rights, labour rights, governance and environmental protection.

Such engagement could help pave the way for an extension of GSP+ for the next 10 years, he said.

The ambassador appreciated the efforts of Pakistan's textile industry towards meeting sustainability requirements, saying sustainability remained a highly important priority for the European Union and that the progress made by the industry in this regard was commendable.

The current GSP+ arrangement remains in place through 2027, while the EU and Pakistan have continued discussing the conditions and framework for the next phase.