The European Union is in the process of "reviewing" the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Plus status extended to Pakistan, EU envoy to India Tomasz Kozlowski said today.
The GSP allows vulnerable developing countries to pay fewer or no duties on exports to the EU, giving them vital access to the EU market and contributing to their growth.
"The GSP Plus scheme is granted on the basis of seven criteria, which are shared, and which are established by the WTO (World Trade Organisation). We have granted this scheme to Pakistan and now as I understand, we are in the process of reviewing it," he said.
A source said human rights is one of the critera in extending the scheme. "That is why I am not able to tell you whether we are going to withdraw or maintain it because it is always a result of an assessment process," Kozlowski said.
He added that the GSP Plus is a trade facilitation scheme in accordance to a WTO criterion and the EU granted it to Pakistan many years ago.
It was later withdrawn but after a few years it was granted again, he said.
"GSP Plus scheme requires the fulfilment of a very clearly established criteria and conditions by the recipient country," he said.
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