Pakistan must comply with five additional international conventions—bringing the total from 27 to 32—to retain its Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade benefits under the European Union's revised mechanism scheduled for 2029.

Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce, Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul stated that Pakistan will need to submit a fresh application alongside a comprehensive action plan. The EU has submitted its assessment of Pakistan to the European Parliament, describing findings as satisfactory, ensuring coverage under the existing arrangement until 2029 with a two-year transition period ending December 2028.

The 5 Additional Conventions

The revised EU framework incorporates five new international agreements:

• Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities
• Preventing the recruitment of child soldiers
• Ensuring effective labor inspection systems
• Tripartite labor policy consultations among government, employers, and workers
• Combating human trafficking, smuggling, and organized crime

Pakistan has already ratified all five conventions, making effective implementation and documentation the primary focus rather than ratification. The updated framework also replaces the Kyoto Protocol with the Paris Climate Agreement, which Pakistan has also ratified.