Pakistan, EU Reaffirm GSP+ Partnership, Urge Gaza Ceasefire and Joint Peace Initiatives
Pakistan and the European Union reaffirmed their commitment to the Generalized Scheme of Preference Plus (GSP+) and held wide-ranging talks on security, migration, and Middle East peace efforts during their 10th Political Dialogue held in Brussels on Thursday.
Led by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and Olof Skoog, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, the delegations from both sides emphasized the importance of continued cooperation under the GSP+ framework, which grants Pakistani exports duty-free access to the EU in return for implementing 27 international human rights and governance conventions.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with existing trade relations. Since joining the GSP+ in 2014, Pakistan’s exports to the EU have surged by 108%, making the EU one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners.
Discussions also touched on evolving regional and global challenges, including the Kashmir dispute, the Ukraine war, and the Middle East conflict, with strong calls for dialogue, diplomacy, and upholding international law.
On Gaza, both delegations jointly called for a resumption of the ceasefire, stressing the need to improve humanitarian conditions and reaffirming support for a two-state solution for lasting peace in Palestine.
The dialogue also focused on counterterr0rism and narc0tics control, with both sides condemning all forms of violence and extremism. Plans were made to hold a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Dialogue in 2025 to manage migration flows more effectively.
With GSP+ extended until 2027, both Brussels and Islamabad committed to deeper, more strategic ties in trade, peacebuilding, and multilateral cooperation.
