Pakistan eyes stronger EU trade ties

April 17, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and the European Union have held detailed discussions on strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations, with a focus on the upcoming Pakistan-EU Business Forum scheduled for April 28–29 in Islamabad, the continued importance of the GSP Plus scheme, and prospects for deeper institutional and private-sector cooperation.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to unlocking new economic opportunities and agreed on the need to make such engagements more regular and structured.

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan held a detailed meeting on Friday with Raimundas Karoblis, where the two sides discussed a broad agenda spanning trade facilitation, investment climate, tariff rationalisation, and bilateral economic cooperation, APP reported.

The Pakistan–EU Business Forum emerged as a central focus of discussions, with both sides noting that the event is expected to bring together a large number of government representatives, business leaders, and institutional stakeholders from Pakistan and across the European Union.

Hundreds of business-to-business meetings are planned between Pakistani and European companies, aimed at fostering direct partnerships, facilitating investment flows, and identifying new avenues for collaboration across key sectors.

Minister Jam Kamal stressed that the forum comes at a critical time and presents an opportunity for Pakistan to project a strong, business-friendly image globally, reiterating the government's commitment to ensuring the success of the event and expanding B2B engagement opportunities where required.

The EU's GSP Plus scheme remained a key area of discussion, with European representatives acknowledging Pakistan's progress and noting that the scheme has significantly contributed to enhancing export opportunities, particularly in the textiles sector.

The Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to fulfilling all requirements under the GSP Plus framework, describing it as a cornerstone for strengthening bilateral trade and sustaining export growth.

Discussions also covered Pakistan's ongoing tariff rationalisation efforts aimed at reducing duty structures to facilitate imports of raw materials and intermediate goods, a move welcomed by European partners as crucial for boosting export performance and strengthening industrial supply chains.

Both sides also explored the potential for trilateral investment opportunities involving Pakistan, the EU, and Gulf-based partners in future initiatives.

The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to deepen Pakistan–EU trade and investment relations, maximise the benefits of GSP Plus, and ensure the upcoming Business Forum delivers tangible outcomes for businesses on both sides.

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