Despite stifling of human rights, violence against minorities and a former Prime Minister in prison on politically trumped up charges, Brussels continues to ignore Pakistan’s support to terrorism and considers it a strategic partner.
BRUSSELS: As Pakistan and the European Union concluded their seventh Strategic Dialogue in Brussels, headlines focused on shared values, sustainable development, and mutual prosperity. But beneath the diplomatic niceties, the EU’s decision to continue Pakistan’s GSP+ status raises uncomfortable questions about Europe’s willingness to hold its partners accountable, especially as former Prime Minister Imran Khan continues to be in jail under a litany of politically inspired charges and human rights violations continue in Balochistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir, not to mention Waziristan.
GSP+, the EU’s preferential trade scheme for developing countries, provides Pakistan duty-free access to most European markets in exchange for compliance with 27 core international conventions on human rights, labor protections, environmental safeguards, and good governance. In theory, it’s a model for using trade to promote progressive values. In practice, the Pakistan case suggests the opposite.
Despite repeated commitments, Pakistan’s track record on these benchmarks remains mixed at best. Press freedom is shrinking. Religious minorities face discrimination. Christians are regularly attacked, murdered and face discrimination. Afghan refugees are deported overnight with no protection for their rights. Labor rights enforcement is weak, and the political space for dissent continues to narrow. Even the EU’s own ambassador to Pakistan recently admitted the country needs to “do more” to fulfill its obligations under the scheme.
Yet the GSP+ benefits continue.
Europe’s quiet renewal of Pakistan’s trade privileges is being justified as a pragmatic move in a volatile region. Surrounded by geopolitical flashpoints—Afghanistan, Iran, and a tense India–Pakistan equation—Islamabad is viewed as a partner that the EU cannot afford to alienate. Stability, it seems, trumps standards.
But this argument undermines the very logic of GSP+. If the EU is unwilling to apply pressure in the face of non-compliance, what incentive remains for reform? The principle of conditionality, once the core of EU external engagement, risks becoming rhetorical.
The timing is particularly awkward. As Pakistan’s deputy prime minister delivered lofty speeches on maritime security and global sustainability in Brussels, back home, civil society activists and independent journalists continue to face threats. Labor unions cite persistent exploitation in the textile sector, the very industry that benefits most from GSP+ access. And concerns are growing over regulatory opacity around foreign investment and port infrastructure—especially in the China-backed Gwadar project.
There’s no doubt that Pakistan’s economic challenges are real. GSP+ has provided essential relief to its export sector, and millions of jobs depend on sustained access to the European market. But trade policy, if it is to be a tool for development, cannot be a blank cheque.
The EU has the leverage. What it lacks is consistency.
As it seeks to reassert itself in an era of multipolar uncertainty, the EU must decide what kind of actor it wants to be. A bloc that promotes values, or one that pragmatically sidesteps them when inconvenient. In the case of Pakistan, continuing GSP+ without enforceable conditions signals the latter.
Europe should not cut ties with Pakistan. But it must reintroduce credibility to its agreements. That means real timelines, transparent benchmarks, and the political will to pause privileges if commitments are not met. Anything less risks reducing a once-promising policy tool to mere diplomatic optics.
For GSP+ to be more than a slogan, Brussels must show that its values still carry weight—even when the stakes are high.
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Carlo Lombardi
Carlo Lombardi is an Italo-Canadian analyst and commentator on economics and geopolitics. A qualified Chartered Accountant and Auditor in Italy, he extensively works in India assisting companies in planning strategy and expansion.
