ISLAMABAD: The European Union’s mission in Islamabad on Friday reminded Pakistan that trade benefits it received under the GSP+ scheme depended on progress the country made on addressing a list of issues, including human rights, saying “tangible” efforts remained essential. 

The statement came after a week-long visit to Pakistan by Ambassador Olof Skoog, EU Special Representative for Human Rights (EUSR), to engage the country on human and labor rights issues and to discuss Pakistan’s plans to address them, including in view of the ongoing assessment under the GSP+ trade scheme.

The GSP+ scheme grants beneficiary countries’ exports duty-free access to the European market in exchange for voluntarily agreeing to implement 27 international core conventions, including on human and civil rights.

Multiple developments on the human rights front have raised concerns over Pakistan’s GSP+ status in recent weeks. The EU last month openly criticized Pakistan for sentencing over 80 civilians in army courts after charging them for anti-government riots in May 2023 in which military installations were attacked, saying it was “inconsistent” with Pakistan’s international obligations. This week, the country’s GSP+ status was once more in the spotlight after parliament passed a controversial cybercrime law that journalists and digital rights activists have widely said aims to crackdown against dissent on social media platforms. The government denies this. 

“As we approach the midterm of the current monitoring cycle, we encourage Pakistan to continue on its reform path as it prepares for reapplication under the upcoming new GSP+ regulation,” the EU mission in Islamabad said in a statement. 

“The trade benefits under GSP+ depend on the progress made on addressing a list of issues, including on human rights, and tangible reforms remain essential.”

In his meetings with senior Pakistani leaders including the deputy prime minister, information minister, the chief justice and military leaders, Skoog discussed areas of concern such as the application of blasphemy laws, women’s rights, forced marriages and conversions, enforced disappearances, freedoms of expression, religion or belief, independence of the media, impunity for rights violations, due process, the right to a fair trial, civic space, the death penalty, judicial backlog and the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

Pakistan has become the largest beneficiary of GSP+ in recent years, with its businesses increasing their exports to the EU market by 108 percent since the launch of the trade scheme in 2014.

In October 2023, the EU unanimously voted to extend GSP+ status until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan.