The European Union has taken a strong view on Pakistan’s failure in complying under GSP Plus even after the country’s lobbying for ensuring a smooth renewal of GSP Plus incentives for their country beyond 2023.
Islamabad is feeling jittery after the fresh proposal from the EU to include six new conventions in the new GSP (Generalized Scheme of Preference) scheme, which may be difficult for Pakistan to comply with and implement.
Writing for the Geopoltical.info said di Valerio Fabbri said the European Parliament (EP) may even ask to increase the number of conventions that correspond to the social, labour, environment and climate dimensions of the scheme.
“Pakistan’s Ambassador to Italy, Jauhar Saleem, recently revealed that if the position of the EP goes through, the new GSP scheme would have 11 new conventions in addition to 27 already in place,” he added.
Pakistan’s ambassadors in European countries are actively lobbying the members of the European Parliament to tide over the issue.
Fabbri said the Pakistani Mission in Brussels is also working to revive the exchange of parliamentary visits and contacts. “However, the extensive efforts of these diplomats seem to be failing in the face of Pakistan’s hollow achievements in the sphere of human rights,” he said.
Last month, the EP passed by majority a resolution calling for action by the European Commission (EC) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the issue of non-compliance after taking into account the pitiable state of human rights in Pakistan.
The EP was discussing the response – or lack thereof – of the two agencies to its April 2021 resolution to suspend suspension of GSP Plus status for the country.
According to the Geopoltical.info, the institution specifically noted Pakistan’s failure to address human rights abuses, with particular attention on Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. “It again demanded benefits to be suspended in case of continuing violations.”