New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) With Pakistan failing to pay heed to EU warnings over its dismal record of enforced disappearances, political repression and suppression of minorities, the European Parliament and the EU delegation have made it clear to Islamabad that merely signing conventions and passing laws will no longer be enough to preserve privileged access to Pakistani exports in the European market, according to an article in the European Conservative.

In early September, Spanish MEP Sandra Gomez Lopez questioned in the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights the value of Islamabad’s commitments if they are not accompanied by deadlines, measurable objectives, and consequences when impunity persists.

Two days later, the EU ambassador to Pakistan, Raimundas Karoblis, said the country was at a “very critical moment” and warned that the future of GSP+ was “far from guaranteed” without credible and verifiable progress.

The tougher rhetoric matters because Pakistan is the programme’s largest beneficiary, the article observes.

Pakistan has benefited from GSP+ since 2014. In 2024, around 7.5 billion euros worth of its exports were eligible for the preferences, while more than 7.1 billion euros actually used them, representing a utilisation rate of close to 95 per cent. The European Commission estimates that Islamabad saved around 732 million euros in tariffs that year.

Textiles and garments account for approximately 70 per cent to 76 per cent of Pakistani exports to the EU. Losing the scheme could result in additional tariffs of between 9 per cent and 12 per cent to certain textile products.

The European Commission’s latest report, covering the 2023-2025 period, explains why Brussels is hardening its tone.

The report concludes that Pakistan has moved backwards in several important areas. These include enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, freedom of expression, pressure on journalists, minority rights, judicial independence, and the persistence of forced labour.

The Commission notes that there have been no convictions for enforced disappearances. The Pakistani commission responsible for investigating such cases also registered 273 new cases in 2025, while human rights organisations argue that the true figure is higher.

The EU’s new scheme will begin to apply on January 1, 2027, and will increase from 27 to 32 the number of conventions that beneficiaries are required to comply with. Pakistan will temporarily retain its current status until the end of 2028, but will then have to submit a new application under stricter rules, the article added.

--IANS

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