The European Union has cautioned Pakistan that its continued access to preferential trade terms under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) is under threat unless it demonstrates credible and measurable progress on human rights. EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis warned that the programme's future was "far from guaranteed," while Spanish MEP Sandra Gomez Lopez stressed that signing international conventions or passing new legislation would carry little weight without clear deadlines, measurable targets, and accountability mechanisms.

The European Commission's latest report covering 2023–2025 has flagged alleged concerns including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, restrictions on freedom of expression, pressure on journalists, the treatment of minorities, judicial independence, and forced labour. No convictions have been recorded in cases of alleged enforced disappearances, and Pakistan's dedicated commission registered 273 new such cases in 2025, with human rights organisations suggesting the true figure may be considerably higher.

The stakes are substantial. Pakistan is the largest beneficiary of the GSP+ programme, with approximately 7.1 billion euros' worth of exports receiving preferential tariff treatment in 2024 alone — saving an estimated 732 million euros in duties. Textiles and garments, which account for the majority of Pakistani exports to the EU, could face additional tariffs of between 9 and 12 per cent if the benefits are withdrawn. Pakistan retains its current status until 2028, after which it must reapply under a stricter revised framework requiring compliance with 32 international conventions, up from 27.