European Commission expresses desire to further strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan

April 22, 2022: The President of the European Commission Ms Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Mr Shehbaz Sharif on assuming the office of the Prime Minister and underlined the Commission’s desire to further strengthen its bilateral relationship with Pakistan.

The Prime Minister expressed his thanks for the felicitations and stated that Pakistan greatly valued its relations with the European Union, which were based on shared values and common objectives of peace, prosperity and development.

The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of closer trade and investment ties between Pakistan and the EU. He appreciated the GSP Plus arrangement and underlined that being a mutually beneficial scheme, it had played an important role in the expansion of Pakistan-EU trade.

The Prime Minister lauded Ms Ursula von der Leyen’s stewardship of the EU Commission and underscored his resolve to further deepen mutual engagement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also extended a cordial invitation to the European Commission President.

The two leaders agreed to stay in contact and work together to expand Pakistan-EU relations, intensify investment and trade cooperation, and enhance mutual cooperation between the two sides in diverse fields.

Press Release