Pakistan has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) framework, emphasising that the Pakistan–EU partnership remains central to governance reforms, institutional strengthening, and sustainable development, an official statement said on Thursday.
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Human Rights, received the European Union monitoring delegation led by Sergio Balibrea, Advisor to the GSP+ Directorate (DG TRADE), accompanied by EU Ambassador H.E. Raimundas Karoblis. Pakistan highlighted its progress in legislative and policy reforms since 2014, including enhanced protections for women, children, labour, marginalised groups, and persons with disabilities.
Institutional achievements were also showcased, with the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) retaining its “A” status under GANHRI, and the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) and National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) functioning independently. Key programmes like the Benazir Income Support Programme and the Prime Minister’s Women Empowerment Package were emphasised as drivers of socio-economic inclusion.
Pakistan also shared updates on child rights, freedom of expression, media safety, and sensitive human rights measures including the Torture and Custodial Death Act and the Mercy Petition Policy. The delegation provided suggestions on data integration, provincial coordination, and treaty reporting, which Pakistan said it would implement through strengthened monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
The GSP+ framework, crucial to Pakistan’s export-driven economy, has been extended till 2027, with the ongoing EU review assessing compliance with 27 core UN conventions to guide future duty-free trade benefits.
