ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said Pakistan was committed to working closely with the European Union on mutually beneficial trade initiatives, particularly under the GSP+ scheme, as the 27-nation bloc and India announced the conclusion of a long-pending free trade agreement earlier this week.

According to a handout issued by the Prime Mini­ster’s Office, PM Shehbaz made the remarks during a meeting with EU Amba­ssador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis in Islamabad.

The premier reaffirmed “Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen cooperation with the EU in all areas of mutual interest, particularly trade, investment, development, security, migration and climate change”, the handout said.

He underscored the role of GSP+ in expanding Pak­istan-EU trade and said the government would con­tinue to engage with the EU on trade enhancement initiatives through the scheme. He also expre­ssed satisfaction over the seventh round of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue held in Brussels in November last year.

The prime minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Adv­iser to the Prime Minister Syed Tauqir Shah, SAPM Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch.

Under the GSP+ sch­eme, beneficiary developing countries receive duty-free access on more than two-thirds of tariff lines in return for implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, good governance and the environment.

Thursday’s meeting came as India and the European Union have finalised a long-pending landmark trade deal, both sides said earlier this week, as they seek to hedge against fickle ties with the United States. The deal is expected to double EU exports to India by 2032 by eliminating or reducing tariffs in 96.6 per cent of traded goods by value and will lead to savings of four billion euros ($4.75bn) in duties for European companies, the EU said.

During the meeting, the EU envoy thanked the prime minister for the welcome he had received since his arrival and said he would work to strengthen Pakistan-EU relations across all spheres, the handout said.

He also conveyed good wishes from the EU leadership and said the bloc would continue to engage with Pakistan on enhancing trade under GSP+ and through trade promotion initiatives, including the first high-level EU-Pakistan Business Forum scheduled for April.

The GSP+ status was granted to Pakistan in 2014, resulting in a 108pc increase in Pakistani textile exports to the European Union due to concessional tariffs.

In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the scheme for another four years until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan.

According to the EU’s GSP Convention Compliance Database, Pakistan has ratified 27 international conventions, most recently ratifying the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987) in 2010.

Regarding the EU’s monitoring of Pakistan, the body prioritised 13 key areas, including enforced disappearances, torture prevention, freedom of expression and belief and minority rights.

Last month, the EU welcomed Pakistan’s progress towards implementing 27 international conventions under the GSP+ framework.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2026