Pakistan faces tougher EU trade conditions amid concerns over rights record

The European Union has stepped up pressure on Pakistan over continuing concerns regarding enforced disappearances, political repression, minority rights and restrictions on freedom of expression, warning that Islamabad’s preferential access to the European market could come under greater scrutiny.

The European Parliament and EU officials have indicated that merely signing international conventions and introducing laws will not be sufficient without measurable progress, clear timelines and accountability. EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis recently warned that the future of the country’s GSP+ trade preferences was “far from guaranteed” without credible and verifiable improvements.

Pakistan has been a beneficiary of GSP+ since 2014 and remains one of the programme’s largest beneficiaries. In 2024, around 7.5 billion euros of Pakistani exports were eligible for preferential treatment, with more than 7.1 billion euros actually using the benefits. The European Commission estimates that Pakistan saved about 732 million euros in tariffs that year.

Textiles and garments account for roughly 70–76 per cent of Pakistan’s exports to the EU. Losing preferential access could therefore expose some textile products to additional tariffs of around 9–12 per cent, potentially affecting a key export sector.

The European Commission’s latest assessment for 2023–2025 cited concerns over enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, freedom of expression, pressure on journalists, minority rights, judicial independence and forced labour. It also noted that there had been no convictions for enforced disappearances, while Pakistan’s relevant commission registered 273 new cases in 2025.

Under the EU’s revised GSP framework, which will begin applying from January 1, 2027, beneficiary countries will be required to comply with 32 international conventions, up from 27. Pakistan will retain its current status temporarily until the end of 2028, after which it will need to seek continued benefits under the stricter framework.