GSP+ Renewal, Peace Push, and Counterterror Cooperation at Forefront
In the recent era of economic crises, Pakistan and the European Union joined hands for the 10th Pakistan-EU Political Dialogue in Brussels on July 17, 2025. It was led by Amna Baloch who is Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and Olof Skoog who is Deputy Secretary-General of the EU’s External Action Service. This meeting was aimed to strengthen economic and security ties between the two parties.
As the second-largest destination for Pakistani exports, the EU has become increasingly crucial for Pakistan’s economic recovery. Since the GSP+ status is implemented, Pakistan’s exports to the EU have surged enormously by approximately 108%. This growth highlights the trade benefits of GSP+ and also reinforces Pakistan’s regional connectivity, and its expanding role in global markets.
Owing to multiple areas of coverage of interest, the Pakistan-EU Political Dialogue enhances stability in Pakistan. Since Pakistan is facing challenges of human rights issues and transparency challenges, the dialogue has highlighted these challenges to ensure internal security and governance smoothness in the country.
Besides focusing on trade and security, the 10th Pakistan-EU Political Dialogue was also an important platform to deal with multiple issues in Pakistan. The country is facing persistent economic crisis which is exacerbated by climate change and political instability, which has also reduced its resources. At this point, the EU can be considered as a major ally of Pakistan to resolve such problems. This dialogue has highlighted the strong bonding between Pakistan and the EU to achieve sustainable growth and improve stability and also push governance reforms. By having necessary discussions on sensitive issues like human rights, governance, and economic resilience, both parties are working in a very comprehensive way which aims to fix the deeper issues that are hindering the foundation for Pakistan’s brighter future.
Core Areas of Discussion:
GSP Trade Cooperation
According to the liberal approach to international relations, bilateral trade cooperation will ensure economic development and regional connectivity. The 10th GSP+ dialogue between Islamabad and the EU focused on free trade that would boost exports of Pakistan. Under the GSP+, the EU renewed the status of Pakistan, which would allow duty-free trading among the parties. The status has a huge potential to enhance economic development, as it is mentioned that the trade has grown by around 108% since 2014. Hence, the dialogue has forged a way to enhance the economic potential of Pakistan and the EU.
Counter Terrorism and Security Cooperation
Since Pakistan is facing security challenges, Islamabad and the EU are committed to combating terrorism. The EU is supporting Pakistan rigorously in its fight against terrorism and also improving border security and tackling narcotics by sharing intelligence and providing capacity building, and running joint operations. This cooperation will reduce regional challenges such as human trafficking. This approach of cooperation will surely enhance the security situation.
Human rights and governance
Having grave challenges like human rights issues and governance problems, the EU is helping Pakistan to further progress in areas like human rights, media freedom, and also judicial independence. These are all essential for maintaining its GSP+ status. Moreover, the EU is providing technical support to the country make the situation more transparent. So, the dialogue is composed of social and political challenges in Pakistan.
Regional and Global Diplomacy
Regional connectivity is so important in the liberal world. The cooperation between Pakistan and the EU allows for regional connectivity, especially in Afghanistan, South Asia, and the Middle East. Moreover, the back of the EU helps Pakistan to cooperate through the UN and the Commonwealth. Further, both parties are also working together on international humanitarian issues, like the Gaza and Palestinian issues, with the EU offering humanitarian aid and diplomatic support.
Environmental sustainability
Climate change is an enormous global challenge. The EU is offering and giving financial and technical assistance to Pakistan to address climate change. Under the Global Gateway and Horizon Europe, the EU is addressing the environmental and climate challenges to a greater extent.
Conclusion
To conclude that: The dialogue between the EU and Pakistan in Brussels highlighted 9 critical milestones between the partnership of the EU and Pakistan. The dialogue is not only trade and security cooperation, but also navigates the internal challenges of Pakistan. The trade and meaning of the internal challenges of Pakistan became the two sides of the same coin of GSP+. The cooperation has shown the shared commitment to enhance trade between both parties and overcome internal challenges. These commitments indicate the depth and importance of the relationship between the EU and Pakistan. This dialogue delineates the multiple dimensions that have strengthened the bond between the EU and Pakistan. It involves Economic, social, and political dimensions to bolster the regional connectivity. Through the engagement of different areas that are paving the way for future bondings. This Political Dialogue, therefore, shows a major stride toward attaining long-term stability and mutual connectivity.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are exclusively those of the author and do not reflect the official stance, policies, or perspectives of the Platform.
