Pakistan's path to GSP+ status extension filled with uncertainties

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 1 (ANI): The abject human rights condition, poor performance in the education area and violation of labour rights might be a roadblock in Pakistan's path to getting an extension of its Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status, according to a media report.
The European Union's Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, who recently wrapped up his visit to Islamabad, noted that there are still three areas where the Imran Khan government needs to focus, reported The News International.
This comes at a time when the European Union (EU) will decide about extending Pakistan's GSP+ status for 2024 post reviewing the country's two-year performance report on exports for the years 2020 and 2021.
Pointing to the labour rights in Pakistan, Gilmore said that women earn less than minimum wage in the textiles industry, a sector benefitting from the GSP+ programme, according to the EU office in Islamabad.
Gilmore added that women earn less than the child and bonded labour and the issue should be addressed immediately, reported the publication.
Noting the country's poor performance in the education area, Gilmore said that "a large number of children are out-of-school and are being placed in a cycle of disadvantage while the society misses the untapped potential of skilled and engaged citizens".
Gilmore noted that the criteria for compliance with GSP+ conventions span across human rights, labour rights, environment and good governance.
"Human rights don't belong to any state but to people everywhere in each country," the Pakistani newspaper quoted Gilmore who highlighted the centrality of human rights in EU foreign policy.
The GSP+, an established trade and development policy instrument, is in place since 1971. Under this status, set to expire for Pakistan on December 31, 2023, there is zero per cent duty on several products.
Islamabad had managed to get GSP+ status in the EU due to political patronage by the UK. Post-Brexit, Pakistan has lost the support of 73 former British MEPs who used to vote for the country and promote its cause. In the absence of political patronage from the UK, it would be increasingly hard for Pakistan to retain GSP+, especially if it fails to take measures for full compliance with the requisite criteria of the EU. (ANI)