ISLAMABAD: European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, arrived in Islamabad on Monday for the 8th EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue.
Upon her arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. State-run PTV aired footage of the welcome ceremony and her interactions with Pakistani officials.
Kallas is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dar, and the two leaders are set to co-chair the 8th EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO), the dialogue serves as the highest-level platform for structured engagement between Pakistan and the European Union on a wide range of bilateral and international issues.
The European Union announced that Kallas and Dar would address a joint press conference at 12:30pm following their discussions. The visit underscores the increasing pace of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and the EU and reflects both sides’ determination to deepen and expand their multifaceted partnership.
In a statement, the Foreign Office emphasized that Pakistan highly values its long-standing and multidimensional relationship with the European Union. It noted that the partnership is founded on shared values, strong economic cooperation, and a common commitment to multilateralism and international collaboration.
During her stay, Kallas is scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. The Foreign Office also confirmed that she would hold talks with Pakistan’s senior leadership, including the president and the prime minister.
The European Union remains Pakistan’s second-largest trading partner. A key pillar of this relationship is Pakistan’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status, which grants Pakistani exports duty-free or preferential access to European markets.
Pakistan was awarded GSP+ status in 2014. In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously approved an extension of the scheme until 2027 for eligible developing countries, including Pakistan.
According to the EU, GSP+ is a special incentive arrangement designed to encourage sustainable development and good governance in developing countries. In return for implementing international commitments, beneficiary nations receive zero-duty access on approximately two-thirds of tariff lines for their exports to the European market.
Countries benefiting from GSP+ are required to effectively implement 27 international conventions covering human rights, labour rights, environmental protection, and good governance standards.
Despite Pakistan’s continued participation in the scheme, EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis stated in November last year that the country needed to make further progress in meeting its obligations. He specifically highlighted concerns related to blasphemy laws, enforced disappearances, and the protection of minority rights.
In December 2025, the European Union acknowledged a number of measures taken by Pakistan to advance the implementation of international conventions under the GSP+ framework. However, the bloc also stressed the need for additional reforms over the medium and long term to ensure full compliance with the programme’s requirements.