On Thursday, Dr. Riina Kionka, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan, provided an explanation for the proposal made by Members of the European Parliament (MEP) to extend the regulations governing Pakistan’s GSP Plus status. The primary goal of this proposal, she explained was to prevent any sudden disruptions by the end of the year.
Ambassador Kionka conveyed her response via the platform X (formerly known as Twitter) in reaction to a post made by Dr. Gohar Ejaz, the caretaker federal minister for commerce and industries.
Ejaz shared on his social media that he was pleased to announce that EU MEPs had decided to extend the rules governing the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) until 2027. He also mentioned that the European Council was expected to grant its final approval for the extension of the current Scheme in the near future.
He added that he was taking “this opportunity to reiterate Pakistan’s commitments under the Scheme for the betterment of all,” and thanked the EU Parliament “for living up to its commitment to facilitate trade from developing countries.”
However, the EU ambassador reposted Dr Gohar Ejaz’s statement by adding a clarification: “To clarify: This rollover is proposed so as to avoid a cliff edge at the end of 2023. It is unrelated to [Pakistan’s] performance or that of any other beneficiary country. EU member states will decide soon. Monitoring will continue.”
In another post on X (formerly Twitter), Ambassador Kionka expressed her full support, along with Team Europe, for Minister Gohar Ejaz and the Government of Pakistan in their dedication to fully meeting GSP+ obligations.
The EU Parliament’s press room disclosed that MEPs of the EU had prolonged the existing regulations designed to lower or remove import duties on goods entering the EU market from more than 60 developing nations until 2027.
Concerning the extension of Pakistan’s GSP Plus status, the EU ambassador had previously released a video statement in July, clarifying that “the suggested extension of the current GSP Plus regulation essentially translates to continuity for Pakistan at this juncture. The country maintains its existing trade preferences and access to the European market, unaffected.”
She reiterated that Pakistan “still holds the same responsibilities as before regarding the enforcement of the 27 international human rights conventions,” and affirmed the EU’s commitment to “ongoing monitoring and reporting to the European Parliament.
