ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s commerce chief said the country would have to send a fresh application to the European Union for the renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status as the EU Ambassador to Islamabad said the South Asian nation would have to “redouble” its efforts to meet international rights conventions in order to continue to get trade concessions beyond 2023.
This April, the European Parliament moved a resolution against Pakistan, seeking an immediate review of its eligibility for GSP+ status over what it called violence and discrimination against religious minorities and other vulnerable groups.
The development took place after the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious party resorted to violent protests, demanding the expulsion of the French ambassador to Islamabad over anti-Islam cartoons published in France.
The GSP+ is a special trade arrangement offered to developing economies by European nations in return for their commitment to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, environmental protection and governance. Institutionalized in 1971, the framework removes or reduces import duties on products exported to Europe from low-income countries.
Pakistan is part of a current GSP+ scheme set to end in December 2023.
Speaking to Arab News, the prime minister’s adviser on trade and commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said Pakistan would have to file a fresh application for the new scheme like other beneficiary countries of the GSP scheme.
“Pakistani products … have duty free access in all 27 member states of the European Union since January 1, 2014, until December 31, 2023,” Dawood said, adding that the EU periodically reviewed the commitment of all beneficiary nations with GSP+ status to the signed international conventions.
Dawood said all nations, including Pakistan, would be required to ratify and implement five new international conventions, in addition to the previous 27 international covenants, to benefit from a new program to be adopted by the EU from 2024 to 2036.
The EU office in Islamabad said in a statement Pakistan was the largest beneficiary of the current GSP+ program but the European Commission was continuously monitoring progress made by beneficiary nations like Pakistan in implementing international conventions.
“In the last monitoring reports, some progress has been positively highlighted, while concerns have been raised regarding child labor, torture, media freedom and access to justice, among others,” the statement maintained.
European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara said in a statement last month that Pakistan’s exports to Europe had increased by 60 percent since it was granted GSP+ status in 2014 but “in order to maintain the trade preferences under GSP Plus beyond 2023, Pakistan will have to redouble its efforts to turn the international conventions it signed into reality on the ground.”
“To make the case to be eligible under the new GSP Plus system, Pakistan, like any other potential beneficiary countries,” Kaminara said, “will have to demonstrate tangible progress to convince EU parliamentarians and member state governments.”
Pakistan to send fresh application for GSP+ as EU calls to ‘redouble’ efforts on rights
https://arab.news/2zy95
Pakistan to send fresh application for GSP+ as EU calls to ‘redouble’ efforts on rights
- Pakistan will have to demonstrate tangible progress on meeting international conventions, EU ambassador says
- Under the preferential trade framework, Pakistani products have duty free access to all 27 European Union member states
Pakistan, Türkiye sign agri-tech, livestock pacts under SIFC framework
- The deals link Pakistani research and corporate entities with Turkish companies
- MoUs align with Islamabad’s export-led growth push after IMF-backed stabilization
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has facilitated two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Turkish partners in agriculture technology and livestock development, an official announced on Friday, as Islamabad seeks to boost productivity and exports following recent economic stabilization efforts.
The deals, brokered under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), bring together the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Türkiye’s Agricultural Technologies Cluster (TÜME), as well as Green Corporate Livestock Initiative (Pvt.) Ltd. and Dost Agriculture Enterprises.
The SIFC, a hybrid civil-military body formed in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to international investment in sectors including tourism, livestock, agriculture and mines and minerals, has been central to Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign capital and streamline approvals.
“Pakistan possesses vast agricultural potential, fertile land, and a dynamic workforce,” Jamil Qureshi, Federal Secretary of the SIFC, said in a post on social media. “By combining these strengths with Türkiye’s advanced expertise and technological innovation, we are unlocking new pathways for productivity, value addition, and global market access.”
Qureshi said the agreements reflected a shared commitment to technology transfer, modernization of livestock practices and enhanced export competitiveness.
Pakistan is pushing for export-led growth after emerging from a prolonged economic crisis that saw foreign exchange reserves fall sharply and inflation surge. The country stabilized its economy with the support of the International Monetary Fund and financial assistance from friendly nations, and is now seeking to accelerate reforms and attract investment into productive sectors.
“At the SIFC, our role is clear: to facilitate investors, enable strategic partnerships, and ensure seamless coordination so that agreements translate into measurable economic outcomes,” Qureshi said.
He added the government had pledged to create a business-friendly environment to draw foreign investors, particularly in sectors where international collaborations can thrive.
