KARACHI: Pakistan and the European Union on Friday discussed the possibility of involving Gulf partners in future investment initiatives, the commerce ministry said, signaling a potential expansion of economic cooperation beyond bilateral ties.
The discussions come as Islamabad seeks to deepen trade and investment links with the EU while exploring new avenues for regional collaboration involving additional partners.
“The potential for broader regional collaboration was discussed, including the possibility of engaging Gulf-based partners in future initiatives to create trilateral investment opportunities involving Pakistan, the European Union, and the Gulf region,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement after Minister Jam Kamal Khan met European officials.
The meeting was held ahead of the Pakistan–EU Business Forum scheduled for April 28–29 in Islamabad, which is expected to bring European firms and investors for direct engagement with Pakistani companies.
“The Pakistan–EU Business Forum will serve as a major platform to deepen trade and investment cooperation,” the statement said.
“The event will feature extensive business-to-business engagement with hundreds of meetings planned between Pakistani and European companies.”
Pakistan is seeking to deepen economic engagement with the EU, its largest export destination and second-largest trading partner after China, with trade driven largely by textile exports under preferential access arrangements.
Under the European Union’s GSP+ scheme, Pakistan benefits from reduced or zero tariffs on a wide range of exports in return for commitments to human rights, labor standards and governance reforms, making it central to bilateral trade ties.
According to the statement, EU officials at the meeting acknowledged Pakistan’s progress under the GSP+ arrangement, which has significantly boosted export opportunities, particularly in the textile sector.
Officials also discussed making the business forum a regular platform for sustained engagement between Pakistani and European firms.
Pakistan is pursuing tariff rationalization to lower duties on raw materials and intermediate goods, while both sides emphasized policy stability and transparency to attract long-term investment.
