ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the European Union (EU) convened the 7th Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas in Brussels on Saturday, with both sides stressing the need to enhance trade and investment ties and deepen cooperation.
The Strategic Dialogue is the highest level of institutionalized interaction between the two sides, during which they review cooperation across all sectors under the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan 2019.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the meeting provided a “comprehensive review” of the full spectrum of Pakistan–EU relations, building on the positive momentum of recent high-level engagements and institutional interactions.
“They underlined the importance of further deepening trade and investment ties, including through the EU’s GSP Plus arrangement, as a driver for sustainable growth, export diversification, job creation and mutually beneficial economic opportunity,” the foreign ministry said.
The GSP Plus scheme grants countries’ exports duty-free access to the European market in exchange for voluntarily agreeing to implement 27 international core conventions, including those on human and civil rights. Pakistan is one of the beneficiaries of the scheme.
“The Dialogue also offered an opportunity to exchange views on regional and global developments, including South Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East and broader geopolitical developments,” the statement said.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar (fifth from right) meets EU High Representative Kaja Kallas in Brussels on November 22, 2025. (Pakistan's Foreign Office)
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said both sides stressed the importance of coordinated approaches to peace, stability, sustainable development and global challenges such as climate change and connectivity.
“They agreed to strengthen cooperation under the Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP 2019), advance work on ongoing dialogues, and identify concrete avenues to expand collaboration in the years ahead,” it added.
The Strategic Engagement Plan, signed in 2019, is the main framework guiding Pakistan-EU cooperation on political, economic and security issues, including trade, migration, development, climate change and education.
The Strategic Dialogue is particularly important for Pakistan, considering Europe is one of its largest trading partners, accounting for more than 30 percent of exports under the GSP Plus scheme.
More than 300 EU companies already operate in Pakistan, while the European Investment Bank has supported major projects in water, sanitation and energy.
