Hell Heat APP downloadA European Union monitoring mission comprising officials from
the European External Action Service (EEAS) and
the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Trade and for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, arrived in Pakistan on 22 June. The mission will make an assessment of the effective implementation of 27 international conventions Pakistan is signatory to.
The GSP+ (Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus) provides wide-ranging tariff preferences for imports to
the EU from vulnerable developing c
ountries to support poverty eradication, sustainable development and their participation in the global economy as well as reinforce good governance. Eligible c
ountries like Pakistan can export goods to
the EU market at zero duties for 66% of tariff lines. This preferential status is conditional on GSP+ c
ountries demonstrating tangible progress on the implementation of 27 international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection, climate change and good governance.
As stated by Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis in 2021 “For five decades,
the EU GSP has supported vulnerable c
ountries to grow in a sustainable manner by giving them preferential access to
the EU market. This has helped beneficiary c
ountries to diversify their economies and create jobs. It has also galvanised beneficiary c
ountries into improving human and labour rights, the environment and good governance”.
As underlined by High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell Fontelles “The GSP scheme is all about
the EU’s and Pakistan’s joint commitment to sustainable development.”
GSP+ has been very beneficial for Pakistani business increa
sing their exports to
the EU market by 65% since the country joined GSP+ in 2014. The European Single Market, with over 440 million consumers, is Pakistan’s most important destination. Pakistan exports worth EUR 5.4 billion (approx. PKR 1.2 trillion), namely garments, bedlinen, terry towels, hosiery, leather, sports and surgical goods.
During the mission, meetings with the government, the UN Country Team, International Labour Organization (ILO), business and civil society representatives as well as other stakeholders will take place. The findings of the mission will be part of the next GSP report, which is due to be presented to
the European Parliament and the
Council towards end of 2022.
The European Union continuously monitors the implementation of relevant 27 international conventions drawing inter alia on the reports and information by the UN and other international agencies that are custodian of the respective convention. The EU regularly sends monitoring missions to assess the situation on the ground and to subsequently reflect its evaluation in the publicly available report to
the European Parliament and to
the EU Member States in the
Council. So far, three biennial
reviews have been concluded in 2016, 2018 and 2020, respectively.
Apart from Pakistan,
the EU currently unilaterally grants GSP+ tariff concessions to Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan. The current GSP framework is coming to an end in December 2023. Legislative process on its successor for 2024-2033 is ongoing.