ISLAMABAD: A European Union (EU) Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) monitoring mission arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday to assess the effective implementation of 27 international conventions, according to a press release issued by the ISLAMABAD mission. the EU in Islamabad.

Pakistan joined the GSP+ scheme in 2014, which gave the country’s products duty-free access to the European market.

Fulfillment of the conditions is a prerequisite for eligibility to export goods to EU markets at zero duty for 66% of tariff lines.

The conventions relate to human and labor rights, environmental protection, climate change and good governance.

The EU monitoring mission, made up of officials from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Directorates-General for Trade and Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, will an assessment of the effective implementation of 27 international conventions to which Pakistan is a signatory. While in Islamabad, the mission will hold meetings with the government, the United Nations country team, the International Labor Organization, business and civil society representatives and other stakeholders.

GSP+ offers extended tariff preferences for imports to the EU from vulnerable developing countries to support poverty eradication, sustainable development and their participation in the global economy, as well as to strengthen good governance .

The program has helped Pakistani businesses increase their exports to EU markets by 65% ​​since the country joined the program in 2014. The single European market, with more than 440 million consumers, is the most important in Pakistan. Pakistan’s exports, worth 5.4 billion euros (1.2 trillion rupees), mainly include garments, bed linen, terry towels, hosiery, leather, sport and surgery.

As High Representative and Vice-President Josep Borrell Fontelles pointed out, “the GSP+ scheme is about the joint commitment of the EU and Pakistan to sustainable development”.

The press release further mentioned a statement by the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, in 2021.

“For five decades, the EU’s GSP has helped vulnerable countries develop in a sustainable way by giving them preferential access to the EU market,” said Dombrovskis. “It has helped recipient countries diversify their economies and create jobs. It also encouraged recipient countries to improve human and labor rights, the environment and good governance. »

The EU regularly sends follow-up missions to assess the situation on the ground and then reflect its assessment in the report publicly available to the European Parliament and EU Member States in the Council. So far, three biennial reviews have been concluded – in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

In addition to Pakistan, the EU currently unilaterally grants GSP+ tariff concessions to Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan.

Posted in Dawn, June 23, 2022