European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis on Wednesday said that the country needed to “do more” in terms of fulfilling its commitments under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status ahead of a review.
The status was granted by the EU in 2014, resulting in a 108 per cent increase in Pakistani textile exports to the EU due to concessional tariffs.
In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the GSP+ status for another four years until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan.
The upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission will scrutinise Pakistan’s record on 27 international conventions tied to the trade scheme. Maintaining GSP+ status is critical for Pakistan to keep export costs low.
What is GSP+ status?
According to the EU, GSP+ status is a special incentive awarded to developing countries to “pursue sustainable development and good governance” in exchange for cutting import duties to zero on two-thirds of the tariff lines of its exports.
Governments with this status need to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, good governance and the environment.
This means that Pakistan, in exchange for implementing the 27 conventions, can enjoy duty-free or minimum duty on European exports, which include apparel, home textiles and surgical instruments, according to a 2022 report by the commerce ministry.
Export earnings from the EU rose to $3.17 billion in July-October, up from $3bn over the corresponding months of last year, according to figures compiled and released by the State Bank of Pakistan on Monday.
The EU will monitor a country granted GSP+ status to make sure it continues to be a party to the international conventions and implements them effectively. It also has to comply with reporting requirements and accept regular monitoring in accordance with the conventions.
The country in question and the EU will maintain frequent dialogue and have meetings on the implementation of the 27 conventions, with a public report submitted to Brussels for review every two years.
Has Pakistan implemented these conventions?
According to the EU’s GSP Convention Compliance Database, Pakistan has ratified 27 international conventions, most recently ratifying the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987) in 2010.
Regarding the EU’s monitoring of Pakistan, the body prioritised 13 key areas:
- Enforced disappearances
- Torture prevention
- Death penalty
- Freedom of expression and belief and minority rights
- Violence against women, transgender persons, and minorities
- Right to information
- Labour inspectorates
- Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
- Child and forced labour
- Combating climate change and environmental degradation
- Fight against corruption
- Drug control
- Reporting
In 2023, when Pakistan’s GSP+ status was extended, the Fourth GSP Report highlighted the ongoing issue of impunity in cases of enforced disappearances, though it acknowledged “continuous progress” on the rights of women and children, the protection of transgender people, environmental conservation and good governance.
In January this year, EU Special Representative for Human Rights Olaf Skoog urged the government not to use military courts to pursue cases against citizens and opposed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
In the first half of 2025, a total of 125 missing persons cases were submitted to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, which was formed in 2011. The total number of cases received up till June 2025 was 10,592, while 1,914 cases of them were disposed of and 6,786 were traced, the commission said.
