Pakistan's GSP+ status with EU to remain valid until end of 2028
Pakistan's GSP+ trade status stays valid until December 31, 2028, but it must seek renewal under the EU's revised framework. German Ambassador Ina Lepel said the EU has outlined areas Pakistan needs to address.
For information only, not investment advice. Prices change quickly: check the time and source of every figure.
- GSP+ status remains valid until December 31, 2028, the finance minister of state told a National Assembly committee.
- Pakistan must seek continued benefits under the EU's revised framework approved in 2026.
- The EU assessment says Pakistan exported €7.5 billion in eligible goods in 2024.
Pakistan's existing status under the EU's Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) will remain valid until December 31, 2028, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance, according to ProPakistani.
Business Recorder reported that German Ambassador to Pakistan Ina Lepel said at a meet-the-press programme in Islamabad on Monday that the status is up for renewal ahead of the new framework launching in 2028. She said the EU, which is Pakistan's largest export market, published a report in July after a monitoring visit last winter, outlining key compliance areas Pakistan must address. Beneficiary countries must reapply.
At the committee meeting, members raised concerns about Pakistan's future preferential access. Committee Chairman Syed Naveed Qamar described the position of the programme as uncertain and stressed the need for improvements to safeguard access.
Kayani said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was regularly holding meetings to ensure improvements and maintain Pakistan's position under the programme.
Pakistan has benefited from the GSP scheme since 2014, which lets eligible exports enter the EU market at reduced or zero tariffs. Textiles and clothing are particularly important among the eligible exports.
The EU's revised GSP framework, approved in 2026, requires Pakistan to seek continued GSP+ benefits beyond the end of 2028. The requirements include commitments on human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and the rule of law.
The EU's 2026 assessment says Pakistan exported €7.5 billion in GSP+-eligible goods to the bloc in 2024 and received an estimated €732 million in tariff exemptions. The Pakistan Textile Council has recently urged the prime minister to coordinate federal and provincial efforts to meet the EU requirements.
Why it matters
The EU is Pakistan's largest export market, so the renewal of GSP+ status affects exporters, especially in textiles, and the jobs that depend on them.
